CDU boss in high spirits
Merz mocks Lindner and Habeck
The traffic light coalition is history, CDU leader Merz is calling for quick new elections. He cannot resist making jibes at his political competition.
Friedrich Merz always has to make sure not to appear arrogant. His impulsiveness is one of his biggest risks in the upcoming election campaign. The CDU leader knows this – and you can often see how he pulls himself together in situations. Or at least tried.
However, Merz cannot suppress his glee at the end of the traffic light coalition. And so it was clear on Friday morning in Berlin that the supposedly brittle Sauerlander has a considerable penchant for irony.
When asked by a journalist whether it was realistic that Christian Lindner would become finance minister again in the next government, as he had announced, Merz replied with a laugh: “That is realistic if the FDP is so strong that it becomes a government faction again But that is solely in the hands of the FDP and not in ours.”
FDP voters? “As far as they still exist”
The journalist asked. Merz is saying that this is not ruled out. Moment! So the CDU leader teased: “The FDP has to decide that itself with its voters – as long as they still exist – and that is not our decision.”
As far as they still exist. That sat. One must not forget that the Union and FDP were once something of a dream coalition. Just as many in the Union once dreamed of a black-green government at the federal level. This is currently more of an option for the CDU than for the CSU.
So it made sense that a journalist asked another question about Robert Habeck’s candidacy for chancellor. Here too, Merz couldn’t help but laugh: “Well, there’s certainly a humorous element to declaring yourself a candidate for chancellor with nine percent voter approval. The Greens then have to sort that out with themselves and their voters.”
Now it has to be said that in most surveys the Greens are closer to eleven or twelve percent than nine percent. But from Merz’s point of view, annoying details were not so important for his message: Habeck wants to become chancellor even though the Union is three times as strong as the Greens in polls? If you don’t smile, you can’t be helped.
And what do Habeck and Lindner say about the Merz mockery? This has not yet been reported. Maybe they’re thinking: There will still be plenty of opportunities to make fun of the CDU leader during the election campaign.
Because Merz has proven this time and again in the past: he is not completely unfamiliar with making mistakes himself.
bad
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.
