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Armin Laschet becomes the new president of the CDU. The NRW Prime Minister emerged victorious in the second round of the elections against Friedrich Merz. The choice has yet to be formally confirmed. The outgoing CDU leader welcomed the “fair competition.”
Armin Laschet was elected as the new leader of the CDU party in a runoff against Friedrich Merz. In the digital conference of the federal party of Christian Democrats, 521 of the delegates voted for Laschet and 466 for Merz.
No absolute majority in the first vote
In the first ballot, Merz received 385 votes, Laschet 380 votes and Norbert Röttgen 224 votes. Since none of the three candidates achieved an absolute majority in the first vote, Merz and Laschet went to a second round.
Laschet promises to integrate
In his solicitation speech, Laschet presented himself as a man of balance who wanted to stay in the middle direction. “I keep hearing the phrase: you have to be able to polarize,” Laschet said. “I say: No, you don’t have to. Polarizing is easy, anyone can do it.”
Instead, he wanted to “integrate, hold society together.” Regarding his role as leader of the CDU, Laschet said that the party “does not need a president, but a team captain.”
Different tone than Merz in his speech
In doing so, Laschet clearly distinguishes himself from Merz, who in his application speech recommended to the delegates with his willingness to engage in a political debate – if necessary also in a dispute – and above all emphasized his claim to leadership.
Laschet said after his election: “I want to do everything we can get through together this year.” The CDU must succeed in state elections and then “make sure the Union provides the next chancellor” in federal elections.
Ziemiak should remain in office
He stressed that CDU general secretary Paul Ziemiak should remain in his office. Merz and Röttgen congratulated Laschet and also emphasized the need for party unity.
Delegates must confirm the election in writing. To this end, delegates must send a written confirmation of their choice to the CDU federal office in Berlin. The new party leader will be officially confirmed on January 22.
Outgoing CDU president Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer thanked the candidates “for fair competition.” On Twitter he warns: “And now all together for our Union and our country.”
Scholz and Söder first sympathizers
Federal Finance Minister and Vice Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) and CSU leader Markus Söder were among the first to congratulate Laschet. Scholz wished Laschet a hand of luck on Twitter for the “big assignment.”
Bavarian Prime Minister Söder said he was eager to work with Laschet. “Together we will continue the Union’s success story,” he wrote on Twitter.
Green Presidents Annalena Baerbock and Robert Habeck also congratulated Laschet on his election. “We wish him a good start in office,” they both declared.
FDP chief Christian Lindner, who, like Laschet, comes from North Rhine-Westphalia, wrote on Twitter: “For such good cooperation and sporting competition as federal president as we had before as president of the state of Rhineland of the North-Westphalia “.
Criticisms from the left and AfD
The criticism came from the left. The new CDU president will continue to try to “save a conservative political model that has no answers for the future,” party leader Bernd Riexinger said.
AfD President Alice Weidel sees the CDU with Laschet’s election on the road to a black-green coalition: “Those who vote black, go green,” Weidel tweeted.
