The German union parties CDU and CSU officially start the hot phase of the federal election campaign in Berlin today. In addition to Chancellor candidate Armin Laschet, Bavaria’s Prime Minister and CSU boss Markus Söder, Chancellor Angela Merkel and several CDU cabinet members and prime ministers will be present at the event in the capital.
The starting position is difficult for the ruling party. In the Sunday question, the CDU / CSU slumped to 22 to 23 percent. And Laschet is permanently losing his already very weak sympathy values. Most recently, a short-term change of the hapless candidate for chancellor was even thought out loud again. Five weeks before the general election on September 26th, however, they do not want to take this risk.
Söder is therefore largely reluctant in public – even if he recently admitted: “It’s not that easy for me either.” And the CSU chairman emphasizes at every opportunity that he supports Laschet wherever possible. “The chancellor candidate is extensively advertised in Bavaria,” said Söder.
Meanwhile, things are going up for the SPD: In the current “Germany trend”, the Social Democrats stalked the Union parties with 21 percent on the Sunday question.
