CDU commends Merz, yet Merz also encounters criticism

Loud Cheers and Muted Scorn: Merz's Stepping Stone to Chancellorship at CDU Conference

By Volker Petersen, Berlin

CDU commends Merz, yet simultaneously encounters criticism as well.

The CDU faithful, gathered at the federal committee meeting, enthusiastically approved the coalition agreement between the Union and SPD. Yet, the applause was not entirely deafening, as even the designated federal chancellor, Merz, was met with some criticism. Self-reflection and dissent were at the forefront of the events.

On Monday, Friedrich Merz moved a step closer to the Chancellery. The delegates raised their hands in approval of the government coalition, but their expressions were somewhat muted. Criticism, too, was heard from the Young Union and the worker's wing, CDA. No storm of outrage, but a noticeable headwind nevertheless.

The Junior Union leader Johannes Winkel voiced his concerns about the rising pension costs. Monica Wüllner from the social wing of the CDU, the Christian Democratic Workers' Association (CDA), shared her reservations. In a more blunt manner, CDA leader Dennis Radtke had previously complained about the lack of representation for the social wing in the cabinet during an interview in the "Süddeutsche Zeitung."

The CDU's General Secretary Carsten Linnemann admitted the election result, at 28.5 percent, fell short of expectations. Instead of punishing himself, Linnemann reaffirmed his desire to remain in office, addressing the mood among the CDU base, which had been disgruntled after the election. The defense and infrastructure packages, worth over 500 billion euros, had particularly annoyed many - especially since Merz had promised otherwise during the campaign.

Johannes Winkel, the most vocal critic, expressed his feelings candidly, stating the coalition agreement "doesn’t really hurt anyone." He compared it to the "political attitude of the 2010s," the last grand coalition under Angela Merkel, raising questions about whether Merz was engaging in the same tactics.

Winkel went on to emphasize a survey suggesting that 60 percent of people believe the younger generation is being unfairly treated due to pension policy and new debt. He called for the planned pension commission to approach the issue differently this time, giving a stronger voice to people under 40 who were not involved in the negotiations the last time.

Merz was not far behind in showing empathy toward the criticism. "Yes, the criticism is correct,” he admitted in his speech. The agreement remained "quite unclear and vague" on pension, health, and care matters. A clearer balance between the elderly, who rely on the system, and the young, who question how they'll pay for it, was needed.

Earlier, in a pre-emptive strike, Winkel had even hinted that he might reject the coalition agreement. Other young CDU parliamentarians have also expressed skepticism regarding the deal.

Critical Echoes and Cautious Approval in the CDA

Wüllner, the CDA representative, backed the agreement but noted that it was Radtke's prerogative to "dilute the wine." Radtke had previously complained to the "Süddeutsche Zeitung" about the lack of Christian-social representation in the cabinet, a first since Adenauer. He argued that this omission had contributed to an election result far below expectations and potentials.

"To remain a people's party, it is not enough to merely claim it - it must also be filled with life," Radtke said. "Those who dream of election results like under Helmut Kohl must also allow the breadth that was the great plus of the Union under Helmut Kohl."

A Mixed Mood Within the CDU

Though not unified behind Merz, doubts about approving the coalition agreement never arose. The CDU leaves the final decision to the SPD, whose nearly 360,000 members have yet to vote. Their decision is somewhat less clear than that of the nearly 150 CDU delegates.

CDU
Party Congress
Friedrich Merz
Black-Red
SPD
Coalition Negotiations

Policy Compromises, Leadership Challenges, and the Future of Merz's Leadership

The current criticism within the CDU revolves around policy compromises perceived as betraying the party’s platform, internal dissent over fiscal decisions, and leadership challenges to Friedrich Merz. Here's a snapshot of key issues:

Abandoning conservative principles: CDU members accuse Merz of adopting “pure SPD politics” instead of delivering promised liberal-conservative reforms, particularly on fiscal policy and social welfare.
Debt brake controversy: The CDU youth wing (Junge Union) and MPs like Saskia Ludwig criticize Merz’s agreement to relax debt rules, contradicting pre-election promises.
Lack of clarity on social cuts: While the coalition agreement avoids explicit social cutbacks (except for Citizen’s Income and federal job reductions), the CDU fears deeper austerity measures may follow, reflecting Merz's pre-election insistence on strict debt limits.
Rebellion within the youth wing: Junge Union Chairman Johannes Winkel threatened to reject the coalition deal, citing a failure to deliver policy change and warning of a “problem” if CDU priorities are sidelined.
MP dissent: Saskia Ludwig openly criticized the coalition negotiations, stating the CDU’s pledge to restore conservative politics “is not being kept.”
Broader discontent: Internal video conferences revealed grassroots frustration, with members accusing Merz of enabling SPD dominance rather than asserting CDU priorities.
Erosion of authority: The public infighting undermines Merz's position as CDU leader, exposing divisions between his pragmatism in coalition-building and the party’s conservative base.
Future coalition stability: Disputes over whether agreements are binding (e.g., Merz downplaying SPD’s tax relief pledges as budget-dependent) risk early conflicts in government.
Electoral vulnerability: With the CDU/CSU-SPD coalition holding a narrow majority, Merz’s ability to unify the party is critical to maintaining parliamentary support, especially if social cuts provoke public backlash.

Merz's leadership now rests on balancing coalition governance with demands from a restive party base, a challenge amplified by the CDU’s historically weak electoral performance.

The senior CDU official, Carsten Linnemann, acknowledged the election result fell short of expectations and reaffirmed his intention to stay in office, despite the disgruntlement among the base.
Johannes Winkel, the leader of the Junior Union, questioned the coalition agreement, describing it as "quite unclear and vague" on issues like pensions, health, and care, and compared it to the political attitude of the 2010s under Angela Merkel.
Monica Wüllner from the social wing of the CDU, the Christian Democratic Workers' Association (CDA), supported the agreement but suggested that dilution might be necessary, reflecting Dennis Radtke's earlier complaints about the lack of Christian-social representation in the cabinet.
In the lead-up to the CDU Party Congress, Friedrich Merz found himself facing criticism from the CDU youth wing and various members over policy compromises, internal dissent over fiscal decisions, and leadership challenges.