Germany’s Christian Democrats (CDU) will gather for a three-day party congress on 6 May to lay the foundations for their new programme in the post-Merkel era and to launch their European election campaign.
On the first day, the CDU, which is currently leading in the polls with around 30 per cent, will also elect its new leader, possibly consolidating the position of Friedrich Merz.
The following day, the Christian Democrats will adopt a new manifesto, the core programme outlining the party’s basic political principles. This dates back to 2007, when then-Chancellor Merkel, who declined an invitation to attend the party conference, was still at the helm of the CDU.
New phase in fight against migration
This [programme change] will be the fourth in the history of the CDU in Germany,’ CDU Secretary General Carsten Linnemann told a press conference in Berlin on Sunday. It will be historic and important,’ he said.
According to Linnemann, the new programme aims to move away from Merkel’s more ‘centrist’ line and strengthen the party’s conservative image, especially when it comes to migration and energy policy, as ‘mistakes have been made’ in the past.
According to the CDU, which says in its new programme that it wants to ‘regain control of migration’, migration should be reduced to a level that ‘does not overburden Germany’s integration capacity and at the same time fulfils our humanitarian responsibility’.
The Christian Democrats continue to distinguish between ‘good’ and ‘bad’ refugees, arguing that all but those ‘in need of protection’ should be ‘turned back at the EU’s external borders’.
The CDU is therefore ‘in favour of a fundamental change in European asylum law’.
A ‘bigger and safer’ energy supply
When it comes to energy, the main programme is to create a ‘larger and more secure energy supply’ for industry.
There are fears that energy-intensive German industry will move abroad, and that the country will become less attractive to foreign investors.
Many in the party are still angry that Merkel is accelerating the nuclear phase-out. Merkel’s legacy stirs controversyBut some in the party are not happy with this change of course.
Many people who voted for the CDU under Merkel are now out of reach,” Daniel Günther, the CDU state chancellor of Schleswig-Holstein, told the Funke media group.
Günther’s comments were immediately criticised by Johannes Winkel, federal chairman of the CDU/CSU youth organisation Junge Union. In a letter quoted by the Bild newspaper, Winkel wrote: “I am astonished and angry. Because I didn’t realise until now that you are a politician who thinks backwards and lives in the past. Of course the CDU owes a great deal to Angela Merkel. But Angela Merkel also owes a lot to the CDU,” he said.
In an interview with the Süddeutsche Zeitung, CDU politician and former chancellor-designate Armin Laschet also advocated a ‘forward-looking’ course for his party: ‘We must carry the honour of our long periods of government with confidence, not through Angela Merkel, Helmut Kohl or anyone else. During the election campaign, voters are asking us: What does the CDU want today? Not how Mrs Merkel’s term in office went,’ he said.
A cautious approach to the former chancellor
On the other hand, Merkel is still very popular with the public and within the party, making it difficult for the leadership to be overly critical of her political legacy.
We will continue to make mistakes in the future,” Linnemann said, rejecting the impression that everything is now being blamed on Merkel.
Linnemann said they “absolutely do not want to separate from one person”. Rather, he said, the basic programme is about showing ways to ‘give the country courage and optimism’ for the next 10 or 15 years.
Discussion of ‘Islam’ in the manifesto
The debate on the new manifesto has been going on within the party for two years, and many amendments have been proposed by members.
One of the most important issues is the place of Islam in Germany.
Muslims who share our values belong in Germany,’ the draft programme originally said. Critics of this statement argued that it would ‘marginalise’ other population groups.
The drafting committee came up with a new wording, changing the first sentence to read: ‘Muslims are part of Germany’s religious diversity and part of our society.
It also emphasises that an Islam that does not share Germany’s ‘values’ and ‘rejects liberal society’ ‘does not belong in Germany’.
But this statement is also likely to be the subject of debate at the party conference.
Declaration of war on free Europe
The third day of the congress is dedicated to the upcoming elections to the European Parliament (EP).
Today we are also … starting the hot phase of our European election campaign,” said Daniel Caspary, leader of the CDU/CSU group in the EP, on Sunday.
While the party is in favour of increasing Europe’s competitiveness, the CDU’s election campaign will focus on security. According to Caspary, Europe must ‘defend its freedom’ against the war in Ukraine.
Putin’s war of aggression is also an open declaration of war against free Europe. For years he has been waging a hybrid offensive against us Europeans. That’s why Ukraine is also fighting for our freedom,’ said Caspary.
The CDU also wants to increase Europe’s capabilities through a ‘defence union’ and a defence commissioner, echoing the proposal of Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission and CDU candidate for the CDU list.
According to Caspary, this EP election will be a “turning point”. The CDU politician said they wanted a strong ‘pro-European’ awakening and were ‘in favour of a Europe on an equal footing with the rest of the world’.
