Merz evades question about Söder as candidate for chancellor – 2024-07-16 04:09:55

by times news cr

2024-07-16 04:09:55

In the ARD summer interview, Friedrich Merz is also asked about Markus Söder. The CDU leader does not give a clear answer.

“In all modesty, I would like to point out that I am in the top five in Germany in the polls,” replied the CDU chairman. The question of the chancellor candidacy will not be decided solely by polls. Merz named “personal skills, life experience, leadership experience and an image of Germany” as additional criteria. On the subject of leadership experience, he said that he was leading the largest opposition faction in the Bundestag for the second time and that he also had leadership experience outside of politics.

Merz and Söder have agreed to make the decision on the candidacy for chancellor together in the autumn. Merz is considered the clear favorite.

Merz also spoke out in favor of greater support for Ukraine to defend against the Russian war of aggression – and for the delivery of fighter jets: “It seems somewhat plausible to me to help Ukraine now to at least regain sovereignty over its own airspace.” The missile attacks against Ukrainian infrastructure, hospitals or nursing homes cannot only be defended from the ground. “That is why the delivery of fighter jets to Ukraine has already been decided in many countries around the world, including in Europe. We as Germans should not stand back.”

NATO countries want to speed up the equipping of Ukraine with Western fighter aircraft. The transfer of F-16 jets is already underway, the USA, the Netherlands and Denmark announced on Tuesday in a joint statement on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Washington. This means that the aircraft could be used to defend against Russian aggression this summer. The delivery involves American-made F-16 jets that are being provided by Denmark and the Netherlands.

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