Union: Merz now officially candidate for chancellor – “very tough election campaign”

The Union is quickly putting its defeat in the state elections in Brandenburg behind it and is now setting its sights on the federal elections in a year’s time. The leadership bodies of the CDU and CSU unanimously confirmed Friedrich Merz as their joint candidate for chancellor in Berlin and Munich. The CDU chairman had already agreed on this with CSU leader Markus Söder. One year and one week from today, we will probably be standing here again, Merz said in the Konrad Adenauer House. “And then I want us to be able to say that we won the federal elections in 2025.”

Applause for the “right man at the right time”

Long applause at a press conference is absolutely unusual. But it was not the journalists, but the employees in the Konrad Adenauer House who applauded when CDU General Secretary Carsten Linnemann announced that the CDU presidium and federal executive board had unanimously nominated Merz as the top candidate. Almost at the same time, the CSU executive board in Munich did the same.

“Friedrich Merz is the right man at the right time,” said Linnemann. Germany is experiencing an economic downturn par excellence, and social cohesion is crumbling. “And that is why we need a man who can show leadership and bring competence.” Germany actually has the best conditions for the future. “It just needs to be governed sensibly.” Merz stressed that he and the Union are confident of this task.

Painful Brandenburg result quickly put to rest

The CDU leadership did not dwell on the election disaster in Brandenburg the day before. Yes, the 12.1 percent and thus fourth place in the state election were “painful” for the CDU, Merz admitted. But that was the result of “external circumstances” for which the CDU was not responsible. “The CDU was crushed between the AfD and the SPD.” Anyone who wanted to continue to have Prime Minister Dietmar Woidke could only vote for the SPD. Anyone who no longer wanted him could only choose the AfD. The CDU suffered most from this.

In Munich, too, it was said that Brandenburg was a special case. “I don’t see any setback or impairment for Friedrich Merz,” Söder assured.

Merz expects Scholz as opponent

The CDU chairman assumes that Chancellor Olaf Scholz will be the SPD’s top candidate in the federal election. He sees no possibility that this could change again. “I assume that this will be a dispute between the Union and the SPD and thus between the Chancellor and me. And quite honestly, given the performance of this federal government, I’m looking forward to the dispute.”

At the same time, Merz is preparing for a “very tough election campaign.” “We will respond consistently with factual issues and try to get this country back on track.” Merz stressed: “The substance in this country is still there, even if it is damaged, but it is there. The people want to be governed better again.”

CDU and CSU emphasize unity

Merz repeatedly invoked the great unity of the CDU and CSU. “The experience of the 2021 federal election campaign is still in our bones. And we don’t want to see anything like that again. We want to win this election. And that can only happen if the CDU and CSU go into this election with great unity.” In 2021, NRW Prime Minister Armin Laschet prevailed as the Union’s candidate for chancellor. The defeated Söder then contributed significantly to the Union’s election defeat through continuous taunts during the election campaign.

Now Söder also emphasized the similarities between the CDU and CSU. Neither he nor Merz needed advisors from the sidelines, but rather they would “rock” the upcoming election campaign together. He was fully aware of his personal responsibility in this. “The CSU is well on track and will do everything it can to ensure that there is a good result for all of Germany.”

Differences in assessment of the Greens

However, differences are unmistakable in the assessment of the Greens. While Söder categorically rules out cooperation with them, Merz only does this for the Greens in their current form. Söder threatened a CSU veto if the CDU considered a black-green alliance after the federal election. A coalition would only be possible by mutual agreement. The CSU can prevent the Greens and we will do so, just so that we can see that here,” said Söder.

Merz “fully” shared his assessment that “a change in policy in Germany, especially in economic policy, is not possible with these Greens.” This also applies to domestic and migration policy. But: “The Greens have it in their own hands to decide whether they will once again become a serious negotiating partner, a cooperation partner.”