Angela Merkel no longer wants to compete in the upcoming election for the CDU presidency. But who will be heir to them? Some of the candidates are considered favorites, including well-known faces. A surprise candidate stands out.
In the CDU there are now to distribute suddenly. Angela Merkel’s surprise announcement to not run in December for the presidency of the Christian democratic party, fueling speculation as to her successor. So far, Merkel had always stressed that the office of the Chancellor and the party Chairman. 18 years of Merkel, CDU leader, 13 years, was at the same time Chancellor. The massive losses of their party in the state Parliament election in Hesse seem to have Merkel now to realise that a renunciation of power in the CDU stabilize your shaky chancellorship, or even could save.
“It is time for a new Chapter,” said Merkel on Monday during a memorable press conference, she announced her resignation on the highest party office web. In addition, they announced plans to 2021 are not even in the race for the Federal Chancellery. Chancellor wanted to stay until the end of the parliamentary term. The separation of the CDU party, the presidency and the chancellorship was “a Gamble,” said Merkel, but this Venture was acceptable and time-limited. So you want to “open the way into the future,” said Merkel. Because in the room is that this show is also the next candidate for Chancellor of the CDU on the shield lifted, the tension is particularly great.
Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer and Angela Merkel work closely together and friendship are connected with each other. For Merkel, it would probably be the ideal candidate.
CDU General Secretary Kramp-Karrenbauer announces candidacy
As the first better-known CDU politician, the former CDU threw General Secretary Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer your hat in the Ring. She made on Monday at a Meeting of the CDU Federal Executive Board’s clear that they will compete. It is decided about the change of personnel at the Federal party Convention of the CDU, which will take place at the beginning of December in Hamburg. Kramp-Karrenbauer is regarded as a close Confidante of the Chancellor. She was until February the Minister President of the Saarland, and then moved to Berlin to the office of the CDU General Secretary. Since then, she has made herself as a mediator between the often rival party wings, and interests in the CDU a name. Their most important project is a new long-term policy program. After the CDU has lost under Chancellor Angela Merkel, especially in the case of conservative and liberal groups of voters trust, is to be determined in this policy programme of the conservative brand the core of the CDU. Chancellor Merkel at a CDU party Chairman Kramp-Karrenbauer, certainly have their joy, for both of these women are friends. Your work is likely to silently engage with each other.
Not always so harmonious together: Angela Merkel and Jens Spahn. With regard to the style, and the conservative profile, disconnect both often worlds.
It is different with other contenders for the CDU party chairmanship. Jens Spahn, the current CDU-Minister of health, announced his candidacy. The 38-Year-old is regarded as a long-time critic of Merkel’s – and as a voice for all those in the party, the CDU is Merkel to the social democratic. Just the liberal wing of the party, felt in the years of Euro-rescue policy and the refugee crisis, often overruled, could usher in a candidate Spahn a programmatic turning point in Germany’s last people’s party. And although Spahn is still relatively young, to trust him, many of the responsible office. Not least because he has proved in controversial debates often stamina. With a view to the candidacy of Kramp-Karrenbauer, and Spahn, Merkel said: “I see this as a good and important Phase, in which the party can make itself.”
The surprise candidate: Saves Friedrich Merz, the conservative profile of the CDU?
Little-to-nothing Chancellor Merkel knew about one other possible successor in the highest party office web of the CDU. “I can’t say anything Valid,” said Merkel on the question of journalists, whether you have already heard from the candidate, Friedrich Merz. The 62-year-old lawyer and financial expert, retired many years ago from the Federal politics and was considered a sharp-tongued critic of Merkel. Merz 2000 to 2002 at the top of the Bundestag deputies of the CDU and the CSU to Merkel out of office, urged. Many observers Merz is still considered as a guide figure for the Conservatives in the party. The “image”newspaper had initially reported to the applicant-Coup. Merz confirmed its readiness again later personally. A prerequisite was that the party wanted to, he was quoted as saying. Since 2009, Merz is Chairman of the “network of the Atlantic bridge”. The CDU member of the Bundestag, Christian von Stetten, Chairman of the influential “parliamentary SME circle” of the Union group, commented positively on the Report, according to which Merz wants to run. “As party Chairman, Friedrich Merz, will be the CDU members and supporters of the lost Pride back,” he said.
It’s for: Angela Merkel, and Friedrich Merz, in 2000. Merkel later provided that Merz left the policy. Merz inherited now as CDU party Chairman?
Other names wabern through the political Berlin
In addition to Kramp-Karrenbauer, Spahn and surprise candidate Merz are traded, other names. Also in Armin CDU Laschet, currently Prime Minister in the most populous state of North Rhine-Westphalia, many see an appropriate Merkel successor. Laschet has been trying for years for covenants between the CDU and the Greens, even if he rules that is currently in NRW in a coalition with the liberals. Because black-green alliances currently meet the political Zeitgeist, this could be for many party members an attractive offer. Laschet announced late Monday afternoon that the CDU need in North Rhine-Westphalia, some time, about its own potential candidates to think about. If he wanted to apply in person, Laschet.
Some commentator holds the political veteran, Wolfgang Schäuble, for the candidate of the hour. Schäuble, President of the German Federal government is currently tags, was for many years the Ministers of Finance and interior. A choice of Schäuble to the office of the CDU party chairmanship would be a Signal of continuity, but not a departure towards a new generation of politicians. Whether Schaeuble would be willing, also, to the hour.
Pretty good friends: NRW Minister Armin Laschet and Angela Merkel can well with each other. This is an advantage for the CDU presidency?
Volker Bouffier, the Prime Minister designate, in the state of Hesse, called on his CDU, “only to search for a new head”, but to associate a content-related debate. “We must say where we want to go, and how?” The Deputy Federal Chairman of the CDU Julia Klöckner, welcomed the fact that several Christian Democrats, wanted the successor to apply. The show, as if it were alive, the CDU was, she wrote of a visit in Morocco. “It is important that the candidates to the members now, so that you have the opportunity, the people and their ideas, and the ideas to know better”. The acting Minister of agriculture Klöckner therefore suggested that the candidates should be present at regional conferences. How many candidates will be appear there to run, ultimately, when you look, this is not yet in sight. There are six weeks left to speculate about many other names.