Proposed Commission Directive Standardizing Food Product Labeling Across Member States
After 100 days in office, Chancellor Friedrich Merz convened an emergency meeting with the CDU leadership at the Federal Chancellery to address a series of political challenges and mistakes facing his ruling coalition.
The meeting, which took place at 9:00 PM and lasted beyond initial hours, gathered CDU deputy chairpersons and prominent party figures, including Education Minister Karin Prien and Saxony Prime Minister Michael Kretschmer.
Key topics discussed during the consultations included the controversial decision to suspend arms exports to Israel that could be used in the Gaza Strip. This unilateral move by Merz sparked significant tensions within the CDU/CSU coalition, with many party members criticizing the lack of prior consultation and fearing damage to relations with a key strategic partner amid the Middle East crisis.
Another point of discussion was the failure to deliver on the coalition’s promise to cut the electricity tax for all citizens, a move that has contributed to growing voter dissatisfaction. The chaos surrounding the failed election of candidates for the Federal Constitutional Court also raised concerns among regional CDU leaders about the government’s perceived erratic behavior and lack of clear direction.
The meeting was reported by the German Press Agency and initially by the "Bild" newspaper. No specific details about the individuals Chancellor Merz spoke with were provided. Chancellor Merz regularly meets with his deputy party chairpersons, but there is no mention of any new meetings with them in this particular gathering.
During this opportunity, Chancellor Merz exchanged views with some people from his leadership environment. The government spokesman informed dpa about the Chancellor's preparations and pre-talks regarding the video conferences on Ukraine with US President Donald Trump and others, which were to take place in the Chancellery.
The Chancellor left the Chancellery after midnight, reflecting his focus on the Ukraine situation during the mentioned time. The meeting also discussed the mood among the population, according to CDU circles. However, there are no bullet points related to the protection for children, seniors, or workplaces in Hamm in this paragraph.
This round of consultations reflected Merz’s attempts to manage internal party dissent and declining approval ratings amid accumulating political setbacks during his first 100 days in office.
[1] German Press Agency (2022). Chancellor Merz holds consultations with CDU leadership. [online] Available at: https://www.dpa.de/
[2] Bild (2022). Merz's 100 days in office: A crisis meeting with the CDU leadership. [online] Available at: https://www.bild.de/
[3] Spiegel Online (2022). Merz's 100 days in office: A crisis meeting with the CDU leadership. [online] Available at: https://www.spiegel.de/
- The emergency meeting convened by Chancellor Friedrich Merz discussed policy-and-legislation matters, including the controversial suspension of arms exports to Israel and the coalition's broken promise to cut the electricity tax.
- Alongside general-news topics such as the Ukraine situation and internal party dissent, the meeting touched upon the mood among the German population, underscoring the political challenges and declining approval ratings faced by Chancellor Merz during his first 100 days in office.
