Opinion
Big party, and what’s behind it? The CDU celebrates itself. But the party still has a lot of substantive work to do if it wants to govern again soon.
The party went late into the night. The Merz couple received the dance of honor. Berlin’s Senator for Culture Joe Chialo played as a DJ. And Daniel Günther, Prime Minister of Schleswig-Holstein in his day job, rocked around the stage as restlessly as if he had completed a Carsten Linnemann seminar for endless energy.
In short: the mood among the Christian Democrats is better than it has been for a long time. For three party conference days, the delegates in Berlin’s Estrel Hotel celebrated the new program, the stable poll numbers, Friedrich Merz, Markus Söder – and above all: themselves. The party is sure of itself: we will be in government again by autumn 2025 at the latest. Olaf Scholz? Who was Olaf Scholz again?
One must not allow oneself to be deceived by this revived self-image. This Union is still far from capable of governing. A lot remains to be done.
What we know now – and what we don’t
Yes, the party has renewed its content. It has decided on a new basic program, which is only the fourth in its history. We now know that the CDU wants to gradually reintroduce conscription and abolish citizens’ money. That she wants to work more closely with France and Poland on foreign policy. That she calls for stricter asylum law, relieves the burden on lower incomes and does not want to forego “the nuclear power option”.
We also know that, contrary to some fears, Germany’s last people’s party has by no means developed into a reactionary riot force under its chairman Friedrich Merz. Otherwise, very little is known.
What does the CDU plan to do with this country? What exactly would the reforms that she demands from the traffic lights look like every day? How should they be financed?
There was a lot of beauty there
It’s usually completely okay not to have conclusive answers to all of these questions a year before a federal election. The party leadership should not emphasize that it wants to take over the chancellorship in autumn 2025 at the latest. Anyone who, as the largest opposition party, is constantly flirting with a premature end to the traffic lights is taking responsibility for themselves. A responsibility that the Union is not yet living up to.
There was actually, as they say, a lot of nice things about it.
About a year ago, a few concrete suggestions emerged from the program process. For example, an expert commission chaired by Jens Spahn discussed a tax increase for top earners. Yes, you read that right, tax increase for the rich. During the years of Groko’s government, this could not be done with the CDU (especially not with the CSU). Selective increases should now be possible in order to use the additional income to relieve the burden on middle income earners. Opposition with a calculator – well, it works!
The Spahn Commission also dared to consider inheritance tax and proposed a uniformly low tax rate of ten percent on all assets to be transferred. Personal allowances would then apply equally to all inheritances. Economists have been advocating for such a reform – a low rate, no exceptions – for years.
What does the CDU really dare to do?
The proposals, far too specific for a basic program, were a test balloon. How would it be if the CDU really dared something and took a bit of a risk? As expected, there was strong resistance from Germany’s most powerful lobby, family businesses, which have so far benefited greatly from inheritance tax exemptions. The fact that the CDU endured this contradiction for a few weeks was an encouraging sign that Merz, Linnemann and Co. were really serious about renewal.
The question now, a year later, is: What does the party really dare to do? Now that everything is going according to plan and Merz gave an average speech from the “just don’t make any mistakes” category. Risk avoidance as the top duty of Christian Democrats? Hopefully not!
The Union’s Chancellor question: Or is it Markus Söder?
05:11 minutes
After the party conference is before the federal election. This doesn’t just apply to the K question, it particularly applies to the content. This remains the CDU’s major construction site. Continuing. A basic program clearly clarifies the fundamentals. There is an election program for the tangible things. In the past, however, the CDU and CSU have always done well by not making this too specific. And then suddenly they were blank.
When work begins on the first drafts, it will become clear whether the Union has actually learned from the experience of 2021. Or whether the big Berlin party night will go down in party history as a bitter moment: what a shame, unfortunately we were happy too soon.
Source: Stern
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
