Advice on black-red: chief coalition negotiator under pressure before the final round

In view of the increasing AfD survey values ​​and growing dismissals on the Union base, the top negotiators from the CDU, CSU and SPD start the final round of the coalition talks. Leading Union politicians try to dampen fears that CDU boss Friedrich Merz cannot enforce the change of policy promised in the election campaign in core areas such as migration, economic and defense policy. A survey in which the AfD for the first time lies with a value of 24 percent with the Union for the first time.

CSU boss Markus Söder wrote on Sunday on the platform X: “After an intensive week in Berlin with many long days, a short break today. Use the time to think before you go into the final round from tomorrow.”

How is the mood in the Union?

It is feared in the Union that the SPD is expected to make future Chancellor Merz after changing the course at the debt brake with the huge billion-dollar packages for defense and infrastructure further far-reaching concessions. Accordingly, there should also be great displeasure with the party growth. In the young Union “it is really boiling”, it says behind the hand. There is fear that many decisions were at the expense of the young generation.

The cancellation of meetings of the CDU tops of the top this Monday also caused incomprehension in their own ranks. In the party it is said that Merz has decided, among other things, because he could not give any intermediate status about the details negotiated with the SPD because of the confidentiality agreed with the SPD.

Peter Müller: It won’t work like that

Former Saar Prime Minister and ex-CDU state chief Peter Müller calculated in a guest post for the “Süddeutsche Zeitung” with the Union, SPD and the Greens. The political center was punished in the election. “Nevertheless, a change of policy, which is accounted for by the voting reserve, is further away than ever. It has been going well since the election – for the AfD.” He warns: “If you are missing the humility offered to the people, you shouldn’t be surprised if he is humiliated by it at the next opportunity.”

The previously known negotiation results would not be sufficient for the “migration turn” promised by the Union with more immigration of skilled workers, better integration and a significant reduction in illegal immigration. The special fund -financed special fund has been agreed without having previously agreed on savings, structural reforms and a sustainable concept for the revival of the business. “This is in stark contrast to the sayings of the Union peaks in the election campaign.”

Union tips try to dampen displeasure

Union’s top negotiators tried to dampen the resentment in their own ranks by announcing a quickly noticeable change of policy after the negotiations with the SPD. “The survey values ​​are bitter,” said CDU general secretary Carsten Linnemann the “Bild am Sonntag”. “They show that it is not only a good coalition agreement, but above all on the deeds of the new government. There must be no” further “.”

The parliamentary managing director of the Union faction in the Bundestag, the Merz confidante Thorsten Frei (CDU), promises in the medium: “As soon as the government is standing, we change the course in economic, migration and defense policy. The restart will be felt in every village and in every city.” The Union will move back to the top of Germany’s internal and external security on the priority list.

AfD and Union for the first time in the survey on par.

The AfD had previously equated in a survey with the Union for the first time. Six weeks after the Bundestag election, the CDU/CSU and AfD in the collection of the opinion research institute Insa for “Bild” are 24 percent. In the election on February 23, the Union won 28.5 percent, the AfD had ended up in second place with 20.8 percent.

Esken about AfD values: must now deliver

SPD boss Saskia Esken said on Saturday on the sidelines of the negotiations in the CDU headquarters in Berlin: “To make the AfD smaller again, it depends on the fact that we are now delivering. That we are writing down a coalition agreement that we can do so that we can also meet.” She mentioned the stabilization of the pension, a fairer and more reliable education as well as the workplace protection.

Freely confident about negotiating next week

The CDU/CSU parliamentary manager Frei said on Saturday that there were still a lot of points to talk about. “But I am very confident that we will come to a result next week.” It is about “completing the negotiations as quickly as possible, but also as good as possible”. CSU state group leader Alexander Dobrindt said that one steals “about the thick Klopper”, but there is a lot of willingness to get together.

If the CDU, CSU and SPD agree on a coalition agreement this week, the SPD wants to have its members decide on it within around two weeks. In the CDU, too, the first demands for a member survey are loud. After the party statutes, a small party congress (Federal Committee) decides on the result of coalition negotiations. According to reports, April 28th is targeted.

Immediately afterwards, CDU boss Merz could travel to a congress of the conservative European party family EVP on April 29 and 30 to Valencia in Spain to advise against the further course in the European Union with his party friends. May 7th is in the room as a possible date for the choice and swearing -in of Merz to Chancellor.