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WORLD: Mr. Merz, the CDU party conference has been postponed. They were against it. Why?
Friedrich Merz: On Sunday we carefully weighed all the arguments for and against a present party conference. Secretary General Paul Ziemiak had prepared the meeting very well with all the alternatives. The majority said that we cannot hold a presence party conference under Corona’s conditions.
I do not agree, but I do not ignore the arguments. That’s why I made the compromise proposal: Let’s hold a party digital conference with a subsequent vote-by-mail for the president and the rest of the board!
WORLD: So it was no longer a classic party convention, but a digital party convention on December 4th?
Merz: That was my suggestion, followed by a vote by mail. During the Corona period, the whole country showed that a lot of things also work well digitally, why shouldn’t that work with the CDU?
WORLD: It is said that this is not legally possible.
Merz: My proposal was examined by lawyers during the current meeting and considered possible and admissible. It is still not clear to me why my proposal for a party digital conference was rejected by the party leadership, at least it has nothing to do with Corona.
“It works with the whole side of the establishment here in Berlin”
Source: Martin UK Lengemann / WELT
WORLD: With what else?
Merz: The last argument of the party leadership was on Christmas days.
WORLD: I beg your pardon?
Merz: The party leadership has argued that if we held the party’s digital congress on December 4 and then voted by letter, we would enter the pre-Christmas period with the vote counting. This is not to be expected of the population.
Ziemiak announces postponement of CDU party congress
Even in the run-up to the board meeting, the holding of the CDU party congress in December was deemed unlikely due to the increasing number of corona infections. Now, Secretary General Paul Ziemiak has confirmed the postponement until next year.
WORLD: Suspicion of fictitious arguments. But why do you think the party leadership wants to postpone the election of a new president?
Merz: I have very clear and unequivocal indications that Armin Laschet issued the motto: You need more time to improve your performance. I’m clearly a leader in all the polls. If it were different, there certainly would have been another option this year.
WORLD: Is the pandemic only used as a pretext? That is a difficult accusation.
Merz: The last part of the “Prevent Merz” campaign at the CDU has been running since Sunday. And that works with the whole barrage of the establishment here in Berlin. There is great horror among many members of the CDU at this approach by the party leadership.
WORLD: When you say “establishment”, do you mean the Chancellery?
Merz: There is tremendous pressure and unfortunately a large part of the party leadership is not evading it. From the beginning I assumed that the fight to reorient the CDU would be a tough fight for power.
We have now entered the final phase of this struggle for power. But I have a message for all my friends and less-loved friends in and out of the party: I’m holding on! You don’t tire me!
“So we’re not going anywhere!”
Source: Martin UK Lengemann / WELT
WORLD: Are you afraid that the lack will continue?
Merz: It is no coincidence that rumors about a new fourth candidate are spreading over and over again. All three candidates are supposed to be torn and tired, then possibly come up with a surprise candidate at the last second. That is also systematically prepared.
Now we have postponed the party congress without knowing if the infection situation will improve in spring. So we’re not going anywhere! None of this shows a serious interest in solving our leadership problem.
WORLD: But the CDU has an elected leadership.
Merz: Following the announcement of Ms Kramp-Karrenbauer’s retirement on February 12, we said: We have to elect a new president as soon as possible, because after this announcement the president loses authority too quickly. Then we gave up on April 25 for Corona and looked for a fall date.
But it was already too close to the planned regular party conference, so we decided together to wait for the regular party conference. We had a firm agreement to elect a new president and board on December 4th. This agreement was unilaterally terminated on Sunday.
WORLD: Don’t you see the danger that your harsh criticism will destroy the CDU?
Merz: The CDU has been in great danger since Sunday, but without any action on my part. As of January 1, 2021, this party no longer has an unreserved legitimated leadership. Then it only acts as a kind of emergency board, which however no longer has any legitimacy from the members. Therefore, you can no longer make substantive decisions about facts or personnel. On Monday morning the decision was made to paralyze the match with an uncertain outcome.
WORLD: If that’s what you say, why doesn’t anyone fall into the arms of the party leadership?
Merz: Ms Kramp-Karrenbauer presented a different proposal to the presidium on Monday than the one that the candidates discussed with us on Sunday. The president had already discussed a party digital conference on January 16 on Sunday, but she no longer made this proposal on Monday morning. The federal executive board saw the danger and did not follow the presidium’s suggestion. This proposal had nothing to do with January 16.
It has now been enforced that a decision must be made again on December 14 on whether the party’s digital conference can take place at least on January 16. The question remains: if a digital party conference can take place on January 16, why not on December 4?
“I have always been an outlaw in the eyes of the establishment”
Source: Martin UK Lengemann / WELT
WORLD: Is there still a way back to a process accepted by all? Or are you now looking for the role of the outsider?
Merz: I was always very willing to reach a consensual decision until Sunday night. I proposed a compromise myself. And when I look at the reactions of the party, I am very surprised at the level of approval I get. That is precisely why my hand is always extended to find good solutions together.
WORLD: But you’re already the outlaw.
Merz: I’ve always been that outlaw in the eyes of the establishment. The message “Prevent Merz!” It has always been an essential motif below the surface. It is open from Sunday.
WORLD: Do you still have allies?
Merz: In polls, I have more approval than my two competitors put together. The rank and file of the party wants a decision. She wants it now. And above all he loves me as a person.
WORLD: What happens now?
Merz: Much of the base is extremely excited. They do not understand this procedure at all and are of the opinion that the management problem should be resolved by the end of the year at the latest.
Corona is not a reason against, but a reason for it! We are in a very difficult position and we need legitimate leadership more urgently than ever. The first calls for a member survey are now available.
WORLD: The party statute allegedly does not provide them.
Merz: According to our bylaws, at least one-third of the regional associations may request surveys of members on matters of fact and personnel, the federal executive committee must agree. The real decision remains in the hands of the party congress.
