The German Christian Democrats are to meet in congress on January 21 and 22 in Hanover. The delegates must officially designate Friedrich Merz, president of the CDU, after the vote of the militants, who had granted him 62.1% of the votes against his two other rivals, Norbert Röttgen (25.8%) and Helge Braun (12, 1%).
Friedrich Merz, a longtime opponent of Angela Merkel, a representative of conservative aid, begins a mandate with the heavy task of raising the party, still sounded by the debacle in the legislative elections in September.
After thanking the activists for the trust they placed in him, Friedrich Merz promised to set up a ” constructive opposition to the government coalition. The UDC was also in the opposition in the early 2000s, when leader of the parliamentary group in the Bundestag, he was ousted, unceremoniously, by Angela Merkel.
A first full-scale test in March
After being an MEP at the age of 34, he then left the political scene to pursue a career in finance. Very critical of Angela Merkel’s immigration policy and her centrist positions, Friedrich Merz decided to return in 2018, when the Chancellor began to prepare for her departure. He will still do it three times before becoming president of the CDU. Angela Merkel gone, the former business lawyer finally gets his revenge.
A good speaker, but devoid of team spirit, sharp, according to several observers, he has held a unifying speech in recent weeks. He chose a young mother, Christina Stumpp, elected from Baden-Württemberg, to become his vice-president.
Friedrich Merz will pass a first full-scale test in Saarland in March, with the aim of not losing this Land currently led by the CDU in coalition with the Social Democrats.
I don’t think he’s going to look for far-right positions. It is always a temptation to fish out the AfD electorate. I rather think that he will try to regain credibility with deep convictions.
Frank Baasner (director of the Franco-German Institute in Ludwigsburg)
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