Ovation standing for Merz – Kramp-Karrenbauer is self-critical

The race for the presidency of the CDU continues. At the center of the debate: how does the Union regain its old strengths? Merz wants to break with the SPD, Kramp-Karrenbauer is critical.

Friedrich Merz talks for ten minutes on stage when suddenly some 2000 members of the CDU in the congress hall in Böblingen get up from their cloth seats. The competition for the successor of the leader of the CDU, Angela Merkel, enters the final race. And the candidate Merz goes into attack mode. Tuesday night, he warned against a social democratization of the Union – a concept of battle between some opponents of the CDU. "We do not have to take up all the positions that the Social Democrats find just," he said at the base. He dances with one foot on the other, clenching his fists, fighting. In the conservative Ländle he is well received. Merz gets a lot of applause. He acts in places like a game at home for the conservative.

This time, Böblingen, in the heart of Baden-Württemberg – former conservative stronghold, former home of the CDU. "The CDU is alive – and the heart of the CDU floats in Böblingen today," exclaims early, the country's executive, Thomas Strobl. The fifth regional conference will be held in the country where Christian Democrats have dramatically lost power in 2011, after 58 years. In the meantime, we are a junior partner of the Greens. The battle for Erwin Teufel's successor leaves a deep divide in the South West State Association in 2004, with about 65,000 members, making it the second largest group after the NRW Association.

In the afternoon, the three most promising candidates: CDU Secretary-General Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, Health Minister Jens Spahn and former head of the trade union faction Friedrich Merz in Stuttgart the parliamentary faction of the CDU to look for, each after half an hour. "Today is a great day for Baden-Wuerttemberg," said Wolfgang Reinhardt, group chairman. The debate is a "real boost" for the Union.

Kramp-Karrenbauer admits the failure of the CDU

The three candidates repeatedly call to unity. It takes fewer arguments and more debate, explains Spahn. Kramp-Karrenbauer says that the political opponent is not part of his own ranks. "For me, there is only one camp – and the camp calls CDU." The party must be more closed and stronger the first day after the party congress.

Faced with the loss of voice of the Union and the strengthening of the AfD, the secretary general of the CDU, Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, spoke of a "failure" of his party. She added that people and members also felt that the party had not adequately addressed their concerns and "legitimate fears". "So we should not be surprised if exactly these people are looking for parties where they have at least the impression of worrying about it," said Kramp-Karrenbauer. "It's the failure of recent years, if you want to talk about failure, here and there, we'll be better."

Merz also remembers the electoral losses of the CDU. "We can and must oppose the trend with all our strength." One of them is that the CDU openly admits that in recent years, it has not adequately addressed the "uncomfortable issues" of society. The CDU has left many people alone with their worries and worries.

Böblingen: CDU's three presidential candidates, Friedrich Merz (left), Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer and Jens Spahn, answer questions from party members at the CDU regional conference. (Source: dpa)

Kramp-Karrenbauer said that she also practiced self-criticism on this issue, "because in recent years I have been part of this business". A party does not always include only a president or president, but an entity and governing bodies – "and I've heard and I'm engaging in it too," said the former head of government from the Saarland. People have always relied on the CDU to strengthen the country and badume its responsibilities.

Losses of vote of the Union

Kramp-Karrenbauer had severely rejected Merz's critics recently. The CDU had the election successes of the AfD – stressed – "noted with a shrug of shoulders". Such allegations were "a slap" for all members of the CDU, who had fought against the AfD. During her visit to the CDU's parliamentary group in Stuttgart, she added on Tuesday: "If you want to prove this reproach to some people or to some circles of management, you must call Ross and Reiter". Merz responded to Kramp-Karren Bauer's request: "because I have not made any general allegations."

Stuttgart: Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, candidate for the Federal Presidency of the CDU, after having already addressed the CDU parliamentary group of Baden-Württemberg, a statement. (Source: dpa)

Merz warned Böblingen against the social democratization of the party. "We must not take all the positions that the Social Democrats find just," he said. The question was whether the CDU wanted to be a party in the future, leaving room for liberal, conservative and social beliefs. Chancellor Merkel has been repeatedly accused by the conservative wing of having left the party on the left.

Merz highlighted the significant loss of voice of the Union during general elections and regional elections in Bavaria and Hesse. "We can and must oppose the trend with all our strength." The positions of the CDU were no longer clear enough.

"Modern patriotism"

Merz again criticized the grand coalition's retirement policy and advocated fundamental tax reform. The performance should be useful again, he said and received a lot of applause. He also called for an open, fair and controversial discussion in the contest for the presidency of the CDU. "All dissenting opinions do not immediately constitute a criticism of a person."

Health Minister Jens Spahn, the third most promising candidate for the party presidency, has spoken out in favor of "modern patriotism". He also said that the CDU had lost a lot of confidence in it. The party must once again lead to broader and more controversial debates. On the economic front, Germany is doing better than ever, but many uncertainties remain, including whether the policy is doing enough to ensure prosperity.

During a presentation of the candidates to the headquarters of the CDU federal party, Jens Spahn presents himself in the parliamentary meeting room of the House of Representatives of the CDU parliamentary group of Baden-Wuerttemberg. (Source: dpa)

The decision on the presidency of the CDU will be taken at the party congress in Hamburg on 7 December. The long-time leader of the CDU, Merkel, no longer competes. The Chancellor wants to continue. Böblingen will be followed by regional conferences in Düsseldorf on Wednesday, in Bremen on Thursday and at the end in Berlin on Friday.