Angela Merkel’s archenemy may take revenge

“The world could collapse,” a German comedian said recently on a satirical show, and Friedrich Merz still wants to become the leader of the CDU.

When the CDU for the first time ever voted its members on who they wanted to see as the party’s new leader, Frederick Mers stood up. He did the same before the elections. And in the elections before that.

I December 2018 Frederic Merz lost the duel against the politician known as Princess Angela Merkel, Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer. The CDU was divided, not least on the refugee issue, and the hope was that the leader who had received the title of AKK could unite it. She failed and announced her resignation.

In January 2021, Frederick Merz again lost the battle for the party leadership position against a politician close to Angela Merkel. This time it was Armin Laschet, head of government in Germany’s most populous state of North Rhine-Westphalia, who returned with victory.

but not Armin Laschet has succeeded in winning the party’s trust – or the trust of the electorate. In the federal election on September 26, the CDU and its sister party CSU scored their worst result ever. Shortly thereafter, Armin Laschet announced that he intended to leave the position as party leader.

Read more: Lovisa Herold: A confident, boring leader doesn’t laugh in the midst of disaster

For the third time, Frederick Merz thought. This time, more than 400,000 CDU party members will be allowed to participate in the vote for the party’s future leader. In addition to Merz, former environment minister Norbert Röttgen and former head of the chancellor’s office, Helge Braun, ran for the position.

About a quarter of a million members participated in the vote. When the score was presented on Friday afternoon, it was clear that Frederick Merz had won. The candidate received 62 percent of the vote.

“First of all, I would like to thank all members for their support,” said the politician who was affected by the outcome.

66 years The father of three joined the party in 1972, and was the leader of the Christian Democrats group in the Bundestag when Angela Merkel took over the party leadership in 2000. During the turn of the millennium, politicians were seen as the main contenders for the position. Advisor. Angela Merkel came home with a win — and Fredrik Merz took a nearly ten-year break from politics. The trained attorney worked, among other things, for Blackrock Asset Manager.

Friedrich Merz is seen as more classically conservative than Merkel, who has been criticized for pushing the party to the left. During the former politician’s nomination, CDU Women’s Union chairwoman Annette Weidmann-Maws said the union did not want to see Conservative candidate Merz as the next party leader.

– We need strong cohesion, so that the CDU can continue to be the leading center party, See Widmann-Mauz in january.

Explain that The majority of members who have now voted for Merz are about three-quarters of them men. The other reason is that two Merkellians in a row have failed in their mission. It was the Social Democratic Party, not the CDU, that emerged victorious from the eight-year joint rule. Now the Christian Democrats must remind voters of what separates them from their former partner in government. If they are unsuccessful, the Christian Democrats will be allowed to sit in opposition for more than four years.

The CDU party leadership is expected to follow the line of members, electing Friedrich Merz as leader. The appointment will take place at a meeting at the end of January.

Read more: He wanted to be Angela Merkel’s heir – and now Armin Laschet says he’s ready to quit.