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After 100 days in office, Chancellor Friedrich Merz gathered the top leadership of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) at the Chancellery for a meeting. Contrary to the previous meeting, the focus of this gathering did not revolve around the state of the coalition with the SPD or public sentiment. Instead, the discussions centred on the current political situation in Germany.
The meeting followed the turmoil surrounding the failed judicial appointment and the controversial decision to impose a partial arms export ban on Israel. During the meeting, Chancellor Merz exchanged views with some members of his leadership team, including CDU General Secretary Carsten Linnemann, deputy party leaders Karin Prien, Michael Kretschmer, Silvia Breher, and Karl-Josef Laumann.
The main topics of discussion included addressing the coalition difficulties with the SPD government, the party's strategy in relation to the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), whose rising popularity poses electoral challenges for the CDU. Internal CDU critiques about policy compromises, such as budget and immigration disputes, and the political consequences of Merz's refusal to cooperate with the AfD despite its strong electoral showing were also discussed.
The meeting aimed to reassert CDU positions within a challenging coalition context and tackle the political drift criticized by some CDU members. The attendees also discussed strategies for managing the coalition with the SPD and improving public sentiment. The first report of the meeting was made by the "Bild" newspaper, while the German Press Agency reported the meeting from CDU circles.
The meeting concluded after midnight, with Chancellor Merz leaving the Chancellery. The Chancellor was at the Chancellery to prepare for video conferences with US President Donald Trump and others, which are scheduled for Wednesday regarding Ukraine. The government spokesperson confirmed the information to dpa.
[1] Bild newspaper, "Merz meets CDU leaders to discuss coalition and AfD strategy", link [2] German Press Agency, "Merz meets CDU leadership team", link [3] Spiegel Online, "Chancellor Merz's 100 Days in Office: A Look Back", link [4] Deutsche Welle, "Germany's Foreign Policy in Focus amid Arms Export Ban on Israel", link [5] Der Spiegel, "Internal CDU Critiques and Coalition Challenges: Merz's Meeting with Leadership", link
