Merkel’s block leaders for risky decisions on chancellor succession

Photographer: Liesa Johannssen-Koppitz / Bloomberg

Angela Merkel’s conservative bloc is on its way to a two-man showdown over its candidate to succeed her as German chancellor after the leader of Bavaria’s ruling party threw his hat in the ring.

The Christian Democratic Union and its subsidiary, the Christian Social Union, are holding separate leadership meetings on Monday. This will determine whether the match leads to a friendly solution or a disputed nomination, which would be unusual for an alliance that supports German political stability.

CSU chief and Bavarian Prime Minister Markus Soeder took part in the race on Sunday as a contender for CDU candidate Armin Laschet in a fierce race that could be concluded within 48 hours and which would shape Germany’s election in September.

“The cards are on the table now,” Soeder said on ARD television, adding that Merkel’s bloc had a “serious” election challenge.

In the first step, CDU national leaders in Berlin are likely to support Laschet’s candidacy. The CSU’s response – possibly a Southern approval – will arrive a few hours later from Munich. If Merkel’s party formally nominates an ointment and the Bavarian party refuses to support the person, the joint parliamentary caucus of 245 members of the two parties could have the final say as soon as Tuesday.

The ruling in the caucus will favor Soeder, as he is more popular than Laschet and CDU-CSU lawmakers have seen the number of polls in the bloc decline over the past few weeks when Covid-19 made a comeback again.

He cited polls suggesting he was more popular than his opponent, saying it was important for the Conservative candidate to have broad support among party members and the general public.

Merkel, 66, will not run for another term and her departure after 16 years in office has opened the field for who will lead Europe’s largest economy. She did not take sides in the race, even though Laschet is from her party.

‘Europe look’

“Our goal at this time, with a chancellor leaving office, is to promote as much unity between CDU and CSU,” Laschet told reporters. ‘There’s a lot at stake. Europe is watching Germany develop. ”

The CDU and the CSU traditionally nominate a joint candidate for chancellor. Soeder’s entry indicates a glove match between two sister parties whose alliance has been a basis of German politics since the end of World War II.

While Merkel and Soeder clashed during Germany’s refugee crisis in 2015, the Bavarian prime minister backed her support for restrictions during the Covid-19 pandemic. Laschet, meanwhile, has been criticized by Merkel for a sluggish response in his home country of North Rhine-Westphalia.

“We have determined that we are both fit and that we are both ready,” Soeder told reporters after the meeting. “Whatever the decision seems to be, we will work very well together personally.”

On Sunday, both candidates showed support for the speedy approval of Merkel’s planned changes to Germany’s infectious diseases law, which would shift some powers from the states to the federal government. Other state leaders have made changes to the bill.

Popularity Competition

National polls put support for the CDU-CSU between 26% and 28%, compared with almost 33% of the vote in the last election in 2017. The Social Democrats, Merkel’s coalition partner at national level, also declined. The Green Party, which last took 8.9%, is voting for 23%, increasing the chances that it will be part of the next government.