Does Merz have to tremble?
Wegner demands a say in the selection of candidates for chancellor
March 20, 2024, 11:34 a.m
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It could still be exciting. Berlin’s CDU state leader Wegner sees CDU leader Merz in a “favorite role” when selecting a candidate for chancellor. But at the same time he demands that prime ministers and state leaders should have “an important say” in the nomination.
Berlin’s governing mayor Kai Wegner is calling for the prime minister and CDU state chairmen to have a say in the selection of the Union’s candidate for chancellor in the fall. When asked about CDU party and Union parliamentary group leader Friedrich Merz, Wegner told the “Tagesspiegel”: “From today’s perspective, it is clear: We have a party chairman and a parliamentary group chairman who are doing a good job. We have good poll numbers. Of course, Friedrich Merz is the favorite “But we must nominate our candidate for chancellor in an orderly process and with the greatest possible unity. The prime ministers and state chairmen will certainly have an important say in this.”
Wegner, who is also the CDU state leader, has had several differences with Merz in recent months. The main point of contention is the debt brake in the Basic Law. Wegner calls for reform, which Merz rejects. Merz publicly criticized Wegner for this at the end of 2023. The two were also at times at odds when it came to evaluating a coalition with the Greens.
But in the newspaper interview, when asked whether he would campaign for Merz, Wegner said: “Of course.” Regarding the debt brake, the Berlin head of government said: “Friedrich Merz, it is important that public budgets must be handled responsibly. The debt brake in itself is not a bad idea, quite the opposite. But in today’s world, when we have the responsibility, budgets “To set ourselves up and at the same time make these future investments, we have to find other ways.”
The decision on the Union’s candidacy for chancellor will be made after the elections in East Germany in September. In addition to Merz, Bavaria’s Prime Minister Markus Söder from the CSU and North Rhine-Westphalia’s Prime Minister Hendrik Wüst are also said to have ambitions.