The German right turns a page of history. After Angela Merkel’s departure from power last fall, the Christian Democratic Party (CDU) elected the historic rival of the former Chancellor as its head on Saturday January 22. The conservative Friedrich Merz, who takes the reins of the CDU after a historic failure of the movement in the last elections, enjoys broad internal support, but will have to rebuild a party in crisis to hope one day to return to power.
With our correspondent in Berlin, Pascal Thibault
” I am deeply moved “: after his election, Friedrich Merz could not hide his feelings. After two narrow failures to take over the leadership of the CDU, Angela Merkel’s former rival can savor his victory. 62% of party members had voted for him in December ; official confirmation by the congress online this Saturday was only a formality. But with the support of 95% of the delegates, Friedrich Merz enjoys strong support for his new role.
The new chairman of the CDU pleaded in his speech for the renewal of the party, sounded last September by a historic electoral defeat. For the third time in opposition since the war, the movement must take the opportunity to give itself a new program.
Curator Friedrich Merz must unite. If it is further to the right than his former rival Angela Merkel, he rejects any conservative turn and now holds a more centrist discourse.
But Friedrich Merz has recognized that the path that will bring his party back to power can be long. The new strongman of the German right will have to face three regional difficult for his party in the spring in the short term.