Jens Spahn and Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer reject Merz's criticisms of the treatment of AfD

Within the CDU, further discussion of Friedrich Merz's statement on AFD is discussed. While Jens Spahn and Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer reject the accusations, Merz defends his remark. He is also involved in the debate on the abolition of Hartz IV.

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In the fiercer competition for the presidency of the CDU, Friedrich Merz defended his criticism of his own party against the AfD. "I have not made any general allegation," Merz said during a visit to the CDU parliamentary group in Stuttgart.

He had just given his opinion on the subject, and "we just have to pay more attention to where we lose voters in the future".

Merz had previously stated that Christian Democrats had taken note of AfD's electoral success with a "shrug". Deputy CDU leaders Armin Laschet, Thomas Strobl and Julia Klöckner had already criticized the statement on Monday.

Merz's competitors speak

On Tuesday, Merz's competitors in front of the party presidency took the floor and rejected his request.

Thus, Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer said during the appointment in Stuttgart: "If we want to prove certain people or certain circles of management with this reproach, we must call Ross and the riders". Merz's accusation would have "unfortunate" affected many members of the CDU by their flat rate.

However, she had an open exchange with Merz and had already spoken to her personally. Previously, she had spoken of a "slap" for all members of the CDU, who were fighting against constant misinformation, "targeted poisoning" and sometimes open AfD hate speech referring to statements. from Merz.

The argument within the party described Kramp-Karrenbauer as "very fair". "There are no different camps, there is a camp for me – and that is the CDU".

But as the party's general secretary pointed out, whoever chooses to stand for election "as president and now as a candidate must ensure that the party is more closed and stronger the day after the his congress. "

Chance to "make the AfD disappear"

Jens Spahn also commented on Merz's statement on Tuesday. "Several thousand activists and members of the CDU party have opposed the rise of the AfD," said the Federal Minister of Health in the face of "Rhein-Neckar-Zeitung".

At the same time, Spahn acknowledged mistakes made in the treatment of AfD. "Of course, we must also ensure that the AfD now sits in all state parliaments and the Bundestag."

However, there is also a chance to "make the AfD disappear again". If the CDU addresses the right questions, solves the problems concretely and has leaders with the right profile, they can effectively fight against the AfD, Spahn stressed.

Merz defends Hartz IV

While in the CDU on Merz's charges is being discussed, this Tuesday rejected criticism of Hartz's reforms. "The Hartz system is one of the biggest successes of the SPD as a ruling party," said the former head of the trade union faction at the media group "spark" (Wednesday).

"With these reforms, Germany is out of mbad unemployment." From an abolition of Hartz IV, which the SPD currently spends, it holds "nothing".

Although the beneficiaries of Hartz IV will have to live in extremely modest conditions. Nevertheless, the system is "a remarkable achievement of our social state". Moreover, no one in Germany has fallen into infinity. (DPA / afp / THP)