Germany, turning point in the post Merkel: the CDU chooses its rival Merz
The CDU chooses to completely change direction. Angela Merkel’s legacy could not have been filed more abruptly. On the third attempt, Friedrich Merz, a right-wing member of the CDU, managed to gain the leadership of the German Christian Democratic party after being defeated, in 2018 by Annegrette Kramp-Karrenbauer and in 2020 by Armin Laschet, both expressions of the moderate current of the former chancellor. In Kramp-Karrenbauer, which enjoyed moderate popularity, the ugly mess of Thuringia was fatal, when, last February, the CDU flirted with Afd’s far right over the formation of the Land government. Laschet, on the other hand, was forced to resign by the electoral result last October, the worst in the history of the party.
Cdu, Laschet’s flop pushes a total change of course
The flop of the governor of North Rhine-Westphalia – a dull figure, of little charisma and protagonist of some serious gaffes – resulted in an unequivocal desire for change in the light of the 62.1% with which the members crowned him the new leader in the referendum of last December 17. With the yes of the congress delegates, who confirmed the decision of the members with 94.6%, the CDU is now preparing for a radical change of line. Merkel’s centrist and rather liberal positions on social issues would be set aside with a view to snatching as many votes as possible from Afd. Relations with Moscow would be much less close and those with Washington much more cordial.
Who is the hawk Merz: liberal and anti Merkel, he is very rich and has a private jet
Liberal, conservative and Atlanticist, Catholic and father of three, a curriculum that boasts leading positions in giants such as Axa, Basf and BlackRock, Merz is not the anti-Merkel only from a political point of view. The chancellor was known for her low-key, frugal style. “Mutti” often had himself portrayed while shopping at the supermarket or drinking a beer, going on vacation to Ischia or South Tyrol and the only luxury he allowed himself was a Wagnerian opera at the Bayreuth festival. Merz owns a private jet and in an interview with the Bild Zeitung defined himself as a representative of the “upper middle class” after admitting to earning at least a million a year. Words that aroused lively controversy. Germany is not America: no millionaire has ever ruled the country, indeed, it is an idea viewed with suspicion, above all for the fear that it will affect the welfare state. And in Europe, the Berlin line will once again be more austere.
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