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Röttgen overtakes Laschet – Merz loses approval
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Application for the federal presidency of the CDU in January: Armin Laschet (M), Friedrich Merz (r) and Norbert Röttgen (l)
Source: dpa / Michael Kappeler
Before the decision on the CDU party presidency, the winner of the week is Norbert Röttgen. He was the only candidate to gain popularity in a poll. In Sunday’s question they win three opposition parties.
reUnion parties have slightly worsened in the current ARD “Germany trend”. They achieved 35 percent in the Infratest Simap Institute survey, one percentage point less than before. The Greens improved by one point to 21 percent. The SPD remains in third place with 15 percent unchanged.
For the AfD, eleven percent (plus one) is forecast. They are followed by the left (unchanged) and the FDP (plus one) with seven percent each. Therefore, there would be majorities in the Bundestag for black-green and only slightly for black-red.
In the fight for the CDU presidency, former parliamentary group leader Friedrich Merz is pushing ahead with an approval rating of 27 percent, but with a significant loss of eight percentage points. Former Environment Minister Norbert Röttgen can improve to 16 percent (plus four), while NRW Prime Minister Armin Laschet drops to 15 percent (minus nine).
The picture among CDU supporters is similar. Here, too, Merz is ahead with 39 percent, followed by Röttgen with 22 percent and Laschet with 15 percent. The other respondents want a different applicant.
Merz agreed to support the winner in case he was not chosen. “If I am elected, I hope that all the support of the party will benefit me. Conversely, I will give it to whoever wins the election, ”Merz told Phoenix television station Friday.
After the party congress in January, the Union must do everything possible to prepare for next year’s elections. Ruinous competition with her opponents, as outgoing President Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer had complained, she couldn’t see. He agreed with the other candidates Armin Laschet and Norbert Röttgen, Merz said. However, there is some discomfort in the party because the electoral process takes so long.
Merz sure of victory, Röttgen optimistic
Merz was confident of victory. Unlike the 2018 vote, when he was defeated by Kramp-Karrenbauer, he now perceives a different mood in the party. “There are many in the Bundestag faction who say that if Merz is elected, I will win my constituency.”
But Röttgen is also optimistic. “The mood has changed. There is a tailwind for me, and of course also among the party congressmen, whom I know to a great extent, “Morgenmagazin” said on Friday on ARD. He is encouraged by the polls in which he is behind Merz, but ahead of Laschet, to continue his course.
Almost one in four is planning a Christmas party as usual
According to the survey, almost three-quarters of Germans want to reduce family contacts during the Christmas period due to the corona pandemic. 73 percent of those surveyed said they wanted to limit contacts to their family or visits, with a distinction between less strong (28 percent), strong (28 percent), or very strong (17 percent). Almost a quarter (23 percent) do not plan any restrictions. While in West Germany almost 78 percent plan to restrict contacts, in East Germany it is 58 percent.
On Wednesday, Prime Minister and Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) decided to extend and tighten contact restrictions. However, from December 23 to January 1 at the latest, there should be a relaxation. Politicians and doctors appealed to people to treat him responsibly.
For the “Germany trend”, Infratest Dimap surveyed 1,047 eligible voters from Tuesday to Wednesday, that is, before the political agreement. The margin of error was expressed between 1.4 and 3.1 percentage points, depending on the percentage.
