The result then left the new chairman speechless for a moment. With almost 95 percent of the votes of the delegates, the delegates of the CDU elected the Sauerland Friedrich Merz as the new chairman at their digital party conference. He himself had set the goal of “80 plus”. The 66-year-old member of the Bundestag was the only candidate, as he had already emerged as the winner from the member vote. Now the delegates have to confirm the vote again by postal vote.
Merz was close to tears when he accepted the election. “I am deeply moved and impressed by this election result,” he said. ” This is a strong order and a great mandate.”
In his application speech, he called on his party to accept the opposition role in the federal government. “Now we no longer have to take coalition partners into consideration, we can say what we think,” he said in his application speech at the election party conference, which also combined with an attack on the federal government. “Where is your leadership?” he asked in the direction of SPD Chancellor Olaf Scholz. The government is in favor of compulsory vaccination and then does not present a government draft, according to Merz. The inflation rate and energy prices are higher than they have been for a long time without the government responding.
In an hour and a half of a government statement, Scholz did not even mention the words Bundeswehr and national defense. “The world is worried about peace in Europe,” said Merz. The chancellor has not yet been to Washington and Moscow and the public does not even know if he has spoken to the respective presidents. “Others would have taken the initiative long ago,” criticized Merz.
Mario Czaja from Berlin-Mahlsdorf new Secretary General
He called on his own party to unite. “We call ourselves bourgeois and if that’s supposed to be right, then we all have to behave like that,” said Merz. “What we experienced in the Union in 2021 must not and will not be repeated.” Discussions and disputes within the party are fine, “but in the end there must be common solutions”. This also applies to the sister party CSU.
The Union must now “find answers to the new decade that lies ahead of us,” said Merz. He particularly emphasized the importance of social policy. “It’s not capitalism’s repair shop,” said the new party leader. “The social aspect is part of our market economy. New content orientation of our party: Make social security systems future-proof. Above all, the pension system, so that the younger generation still has a chance of earning an income. That will also be the greatest challenge for us, as we make suggestions.
The CDU is therefore working on a new basic program. Above all, a new social policy is important. The concept of freedom should not be missing from the programme, but above all responsibility should be emphasized. “We will have to think more intensively about opportunities and justice, especially for children from disadvantaged backgrounds,” said Merz. Above all, this means a better education policy. “We don’t have to reinvent everything,” says Merz. “We stand on a solid foundation.” It’s not about chasing the zeitgeist. “We defend the bourgeois family,” assured the new party leader. The task of a people’s party is to take up and resolve social conflicts.
After his election, Merz proposed Mario Czaja, a member of the Berlin Bundestag, as Secretary General. In his speech, he called for the CDU to realign itself and create a picture of the future of Germany. “I want to be honest,” says Czaja, “it may take a moment.” But members are willing to participate, as the large turnout in the vote for party leadership showed.
“The base will be intensively involved,” promised Czaja. “That is our attraction.” He will be a mediator and promoter between the federal headquarters in the Konrad-Adenauer-Haus and the various levels of the party. Christina Stumpp, member of the Bundestag from Baden-Württemberg, is to support him in this, who is to take up the newly created position of deputy general secretary and strengthen contact with the CDU in the municipalities. Czaja was also able to look forward to a large leap of faith: almost 93 percent of the delegates gave him their vote.