2024-05-25 21:03:32
Shortly earlier than the European elections, the CDU is touring the nation. This Friday, get together chief Merz will seem along with Ursula von der Leyen. The temper appears good – and within the get together?
On Friday afternoon, tons of of individuals crowded onto the benches on the seaside terraces at Lake Steinhude. Those that could not discover a seat hid behind the barrier. Music by Avicii blared from the audio system. Friedrich Merz and Ursula von der Leyen strode by the excited crowd.
It’s the first CDU marketing campaign occasion earlier than the European elections at which the highest candidate and the get together chairman seem collectively. And the election is simply two weeks away.
Ursula von der Leyen is the primary to step as much as the microphone. She smiles briefly. Then she says: “It is good to be right here in Decrease Saxony. House is the place it is best.” The viewers claps, some cheer. The CDU politician isn’t a kind of audio system who at all times convinces. However on this Friday afternoon she succeeds along with her first sentences.
Von der Leyen and the CDU are at all times alienated
Von der Leyen wants appearances like this now. Ideally as usually as doable. As a result of the European elections are in two weeks. And other people do not appear to have actually gotten by to that but. The issue: The CDU politician would not actually have any expertise of election campaigns. To not the extent that may be obligatory. Just because she has by no means wanted it earlier than.
Von der Leyen did change into President of the European Fee in 2019. However the main candidate earlier than that was another person: Manfred Weber. It was solely on the final minute that the CDU lady was pushed by as a substitute of the CSU candidate. This precipitated fairly a little bit of discontent on the time – within the CSU, but additionally in components of the CDU.
Lately, von der Leyen has repeatedly felt alienated from her personal get together. There are repeated murmurs from Union circles concerning the course of the EU Fee chief, which is extra red-green than black. When it turned clear that von der Leyen wished to run once more, the get together bowed to her will, however demanded enchancment.
When somebody shouts “warmonger”, von der Leyen counters
However up to now, the connection doesn’t appear to have improved a lot. Simply final week, von der Leyen irritated her get together with an interview during which the Fee President stated she was open to new EU debt. Criticism was instantly heard from the CDU. The First Parliamentary Secretary, Thorsten Frei, stated in an interview with t-online: “We stand for a dependable, stable price range and monetary coverage that additionally has future generations in thoughts.” This consists of the CDU not being out there for joint European debt. “I can solely level out that our programmatic place to begin is evident and that every of us ought to really feel certain by it,” Frei advised t-online.
The get together can also be irritated by the few marketing campaign appearances and the restricted presence of its personal candidate. On Thursday, for instance, Merz will seem in Aachen with North Rhine-Westphalia’s Prime Minister Hendrik Wüst. It’s the largest election marketing campaign occasion in NRW, an necessary federal state for the CDU – in each election. Von der Leyen is nowhere to be discovered this night.
The CDU solely despatched out nearly all of the appointments deliberate for the approaching days at quick discover. The rationale? Apparently coordination difficulties.
After which a person from the group shouts “Warmonger!”
In Decrease Saxony, all of that is initially laughed off. Von der Leyen is combative and provides a speech that’s nicely acquired. She covers all of the matters, talks about local weather change and competitiveness. She warns towards dropping management over migration and advocates strengthening the nation’s personal protection capabilities. Every now and then, von der Leyen even addresses the viewers. There may be at all times a number of applause.
On the subject of help for Ukraine, the Fee President is evident. “Anybody who talks and acts like Putin doesn’t need peace.” “Warmonger,” shouts a person from the group. The CDU politician simply smiles coolly. Now she is focusing on the AfD.
With out mentioning his title, von der Leyen lists the scandals of Maximilian Krah, the AfD’s prime candidate. Manipulation, espionage, cash flows from China and Russia. First the AfD rants concerning the fatherland, “after which it betrays it to the autocrats,” shouts von der Leyen. “They need to be ashamed of themselves.” The group cheers, some even soar up.
Von der Leyen enjoys the applause. House is the place it is best. It was foreseeable that she would arrive right here. However that is not sufficient to win the elections. And definitely not sufficient to persuade her personal get together. Ultimately, von der Leyen will want the CDU.