Analysis of the CDU occasion convention: Stuttgart has stabilized Merz | EUROtoday

On the night earlier than the occasion convention, the CDU invitations you to a gathering with media representatives. There are sausages and cheese spaetzle. Journalists can ask delegates what they anticipate from Friedrich Merz on the first federal occasion convention since Merz moved into the Chancellery.

The opinions are fairly clear: one would anticipate a rousing, emotional speech that makes it clear what broad, substantive framework the CDU chief desires for Germany. Please not a lot overseas coverage, however quite concrete details about pensions, the part-time debate, and welfare state reform.

Expectations dissatisfied – nonetheless a standing ovation

Friedrich Merz spoke for 75 minutes on Saturday, stated quite a bit concerning the overseas coverage state of affairs and little about home coverage points. He particularly carried the room away when he cursed the Greens as a result of they needed to have the Mercosur settlement in Brussels reviewed once more by the European Court of Justice.

However, that did not cease the delegates from applauding with a standing ovation for greater than 10 minutes after the speech. And a number of hours later, the occasion convention elected Friedrich Merz as occasion chairman with 91.17 %. This is a greater outcome than two years in the past. The CDU is demonstratively supporting its Chancellor.

Learned from the SPD

The thought behind it’s clear: How can the CDU obtain extra within the coalition with the SPD? With a strengthened Merz or with one weakened by his personal occasion? Under no circumstances do you wish to do it just like the SPD, which elected its occasion chief Lars Klingbeil with solely 65 %.

In addition, elections in Baden-Württemberg and Rhineland-Palatinate are imminent, and quarreling events are virtually all the time punished by voters. So the CDU exhibits that it may well nonetheless be a “Chancellor-electing club”. The motto of this occasion convention suits in with this: accountability obliges.

unity Social media ban

The occasion convention additionally feels obliged to higher shield youngsters from social networks sooner or later. If the CDU has its approach, using TikTok, Instagram and related platforms for under-14s must be banned. And because the SPD additionally desires this, it’s doubtless that the coalition will implement this challenge quickly.

The accountable minister, Karin Prien, stated on the occasion convention that this yr must be used and technical options introduced initially of 2027. The movement to ban social media was handed with out debate, and the CDU additionally demonstrated unity there.

However, issues develop into controversial on the subject of the proposals from the occasion youth. The Junge Union has formulated a 20-point plan that entails abolishing pensions at 63, greater deductions for early retirement and making certain that individuals with out youngsters ought to pay greater contributions.

But though Johannes Winkel, chairman of the Junge Union, insists in his speech that with out this main reform bundle the nationwide debt would rise immeasurably and that this might be unacceptable for the youthful generations, the contradiction is simply too nice.

Party youth are rebuffed

Social politician Karl-Josef Laumann may be very red-faced and says that you would be able to’t inform folks in building issues like that. This is the second when the occasion convention celebrates its social conscience.

The delegates expressly don’t assist the proposal of the youthful members of the CDU and switch your complete listing of calls for to the Bundestag faction. This appears to be like like a slowing down and discouraging of the “young wild people” within the occasion. Apparently many delegates really feel extra dedicated to their older voters.

And for Merz and the occasion management, the rejection of the younger folks’s pension plan signifies that they don’t have to implement any concrete profit cuts towards their coalition associate, towards unions and towards their very own social wing.

Merz has to ship now

Stuttgart has stabilized Merz. The occasion congress managed to provide him a vote of confidence in order that underneath his management the financial upswing will lastly come and inner safety will noticeably enhance.

That’s precisely what Merz has to ship now, as a result of the approval of the 1,001 CDU delegates is nice, however the lack of approval for his insurance policies by solely 25 % of Germans is extra severe.