"I'm not averse": Merz toying with the Bundestag

Monday, March 1st, 2021

"I'm not averse"
Merz toying with the Bundestag

It didn't work out twice with the CDU chairmanship. According to his own statement, Friedrich Merz is now considering running for the Bundestag. The problem: there is already a CDU man in parliament for the Hochsauerland district – and he wants to continue to do so.

After his defeat in the election of the CDU chairman, Friedrich Merz is considering a candidacy in the Hochsauerland district for the federal election in September. "I was asked by several city association chairmen in the Sauerland whether I could imagine running for the constituency," said the 65-year-old of the "Westfalenpost". "I am not averse," added the former Union parliamentary group leader.

In January, Merz had to admit defeat to the North Rhine-Westphalian Prime Minister Armin Laschet in the election for the CDU federal chairmanship. After that, he initially held back with statements about his further political ambitions.

The current CDU member of the Bundestag for the Hochsauerland district is interior expert Patrick Sensburg. He took over the constituency from Friedrich Merz in 2009. Sensburg told the editorial network Germany (RND) that he had already declared his candidacy in January. "Friedrich Merz had completely different thoughts," said the politician. "So I have to wait and see. But I'm sticking to my candidacy. And Friedrich Merz has opportunities everywhere."

According to RND, the neighboring district of Olpe / Märkischer Kreis is free because Matthias Heider, member of the Bundestag, is not running again. In addition, according to "Westfalenpost", the Mesched city association nominated the 35-year-old politician Bernd Schulte for the federal election campaign at the weekend. He is deputy chairman of the CDU district parliamentary group in Hochsauerland and head of division in the Düsseldorf State Chancellery.

Merz told the newspaper that he did not want "an open field battle" for the candidacy in the Sauerland. The constituency has always been known for its unity. The decision on the next CDU candidate for the Bundestag should be made at the end of April.