updates
Election in mid-February
Brinkhaus clears the way for Merz as faction leader
01/27/2022, 7:08 p.m
In all likelihood, the future CDU leader Merz will also be the leader of the opposition in the Bundestag. Union faction leader Brinkhaus explains in a letter to the deputies that he will not run for office. He also proposes that the election be brought forward to the next opportunity.
Union parliamentary group leader Ralph Brinkhaus will not run again for the parliamentary group chairmanship in favor of the future CDU chairman Friedrich Merz. Brinkhaus announced this in a letter to the members of the Bundestag from the CDU and CSU, which is available on ntv. Brinkhaus proposes to elect the new parliamentary group leader on February 15th.
Brinkhaus writes that Merz informed him that he intends “to apply for the office of chairman of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group in any case”. It is “no secret that Friedrich Merz and I have different opinions regarding the chairmanship of the parliamentary group, which we have not been able to dispel”. However, this should not and will not become a personal dissent that damages the Union.
Brinkhaus also calls on MPs to support Merz at the head of the parliamentary group. “I propose to clarify things quickly and to bring forward the election of the group leader, which is due at the end of April, to the next plenary session, that is to say February 15.” Brinkhaus himself will remain a simple member of the parliamentary group, he said.
In a first reaction, Merz thanked Brinkhaus for his waiver. “Even if we had different opinions on the matter, I would like to thank Ralph Brinkhaus for his willingness to put the two tasks of the chairman in the party and parliamentary group in one hand,” explained Merz. He added: “We are bundling the work in the party and parliamentary group.” Brinkhaus remains “an active and important member of our parliamentary group, I will be happy to take advantage of his skills and support,” said Merz.