The German Christian Democratic Party opened a three-day congress this Monday, May 7, 2024 in Berlin. The CDU wants to adopt a new fundamental program, more to the right, and put itself in working order for the European elections in June. A congress which was marked by the speech of President Friedrich Merz, re-elected for a new two-year term with almost 90% of the votes.
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With our correspondent in Berlin, Pascal Thibaut
“ Four years maximum in power for the current government is enough »: the president of the Christian Democratic Union has not declared his candidacy, but it is obvious that he wants to succeed Olaf Scholz in the fall of 2025. Friedrich Merz, who was more controversial, spoke more as a statesman than as a party president, warming up the congress hall. An almost Merkelian profile even if the former chancellor who shunned the congress was not mentioned.
The adoption on Tuesday of the new fundamental program of the CDU after 17 years also marks a break with the Merkel era with a tougher line on migration or security issues and more liberal for economic and social policy. Friedrich Merz managed to rally the Christian Democrats behind him, even if his score – less than 90% – is lower than that obtained during his first election, two years ago.
The president of the CDU at one point abandoned his very calm posture to attack the far right head-on, ensuring that his party would demonstrate resolute resistance against the AfD. If the Christian Democrats are largely in the lead in the polls for next month’s European elections, the three regional elections in September in the east of the country where the Alternative for Germany dominates, the political landscape constitutes a significant challenge for the CDU and for its president. It is after these ballots that the candidate for the Christian Democratic chancellery will be designated.
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