The members of the German Christian Democratic Union (CDU) elected the staunch right-wing Friedrich Mertz as their new leader, because the Conservative Party sought a new direction for the opposition after Angela Merkel left.
Merz lags behind centrist candidates twice in previous leadership campaigns, unexpectedly won a majority in the vote, defeating Merkel’s former chief of staff Herg Braun and foreign policy expert Norbert by 62% of the vote Rotgen, thereby eliminating the need for elections. Runoff ballot.
At the time of the vote, the rudderless behemoth in German politics is seeking to reinvent itself. Earlier, in the September federal election, the Social Democrat Olaf Scholz (Olaf Scholz) was in a power-sharing agreement with the Green Party. Elected as Merkel’s successor, and the election with the worst results in history. Liberal Democratic Party (FDP).
For the first time in history, the CDU decided to give its 400,000 members the right to speak in its future leadership, of which 248,360 participated by mail and digital voting.
Party members’ votes are not binding and must be confirmed by representatives of the CDU at the party’s summit scheduled to be held from January 21 to 22.
One of the core questions of the post-Merkel era will be how the CDU seeks an answer to the enduring power of the far-right Alternative Party (AfD) that was once firmly held in the former socialist eastern states. Center right.
Melz had previously promised that the Conservative Party’s readjustment can win back voters who have turned to AfD, rather than encouraging right-wing parties.
His two rivals on the ballot are both from the liberals of the Conservative Party and promised to continue Merkel’s centrist line on the domestic stage.
Helge Braun, a 49-year-old doctor who won 12% of the vote, served as Merkel’s chief of staff and minister of special affairs during her last tenure, and played a prominent role in coordinating pandemic measures.
The 56-year-old Norbert Röttgen (Norbert Röttgen) ranked second with 25.8% of the vote. He is a former Minister of the Environment. Dismissed by Merkel’s cabinet in 2012. Subsequently, he reshaped his image as the chairman of the Bundestag Foreign Affairs Committee, in which he called on the government to take a more confrontational stance when dealing with Russia and China.
Rotgen, who lost to outgoing leader Amin Rushett in the CDU leadership earlier this year, has positioned himself as a modern candidate, believing that the Conservative Party needs to reinvigorate its image to remain relevant . Both he and Braun vowed to choose a woman as the party’s next general secretary.
For Merz, this is the third attempt to seize control of a party that has been in power in Germany longer than any other party. As the favorite of old members of the CDU, he lost motivation in the final ballot twice. 2018 against Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer and To Rashet in January this year.
He had previously promised to restrict Germany’s immigration rules and position himself as an “anti-Merkel” candidate-even hinting at one point Cancel the constitutional guarantee of asylum – Merz tried to show a more consistent tone in his third attempt.
In the debate before the members’ vote, Meltz promised that the CDU under his leadership would have dialogue with both parties voter, Female and male voters even showed a reluctant open attitude towards the quota for women in the party.
