"No More CDU-SPD Status Quo": Young Union Chief Threatens to Veto Merz's Coalition Agreement
Union youth leader amplifies warnings to Merz, intensifying the mounting pressure
Social media - Share this, Tweet it, WhatsApp it, Email it, Print it, Copy Link Final coalition talks aren't scheduled until Monday, but tensions already rise within the CDU, with the Young Union Chief, Johannes Winkel, warning Merz against signing a coalition contract without promised policy changes.
In an interview with the "Süddeutsche Zeitung," Winkel stated, "The policy changes that the entire Union, particularly the Young Union, fought hard for, and that people expect, must now happen." He proclaimed, "The CDU may not sign a coalition contract without a policy change."
The decisions on the special debt program and the relaxation of the debt brake during the election campaign didn't meet the CDU's expectations, said Winkel. Unless the Union achieves policy changes on other essential topics during the coalition negotiations, there's a problem. "If the CDU remains an 'insolvency-prone' party as Merz once put it in 2021, then we face serious consequences," Winkel warned.
Young Voters Prioritize Change
When asked if he'd vote against a coalition with the SPD if there's no policy change, Winkel answered, "This corresponds to the motto 'Power as an end in itself.'" Refusing to support a CDU-SPD coalition without the promised policy changes would cause immense damage to the country. However, it'd also be a significant boost for the AfD.
Winkel concluded, "The CDU is no longer a 'Chancellor's Party.' The self-confidence achieved through the strong new basic program must be taken seriously." The days of "we get the Chancellery, and the Social Democrats get the content" are long gone. The CDU, especially the base, is a party that demands change, particularly on key election issues like migration, the economy, bureaucracy reduction, and fiscal responsibility.
Internal Pressure on Merz
Moreover, Winkel criticized Merz's leadership, including his decision to pass a migration motion with the votes of the AfD. According to Winkel, the electoral success of the Left, especially among younger voters, would have been unlikely without Heidi Reichinnek's speech in the Bundestag. With the decision to pass a motion with the AfD, "the Left was practically revived."
Furthermore, Winkel distanced himself from the CSU's successes during the current coalition negotiations, such as improved mother's pension, hospitality tax, and agricultural diesel. Winkel questioned the timing, "Is now really the time for debt-financed election gifts?"
Coalition Talks on Monday
Monday marks the final round of coalition talks, with top negotiators from the CDU, CSU, and SPD. Instead of allaying fears that Merz might struggle in key areas like migration, economic, and defense policy, leading union politicians emphasize the need for compromise with the SPD. The current polls show the AfD tied with the Union at 24 percent, adding to the internal unrest within the CDU.
There are also calls within the CDU to hold a membership vote, similar to the SPD, on the outcome of the coalition talks. According to the party statutes, this final decision is typically made by a small party conference (Federal Committee). The proposed date for this vote is April 28.
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- Coalition Talks
- Young Union of Germany
- Johannes Winkel, the Young Union Chief, has warned Armin Laschet not to sign a coalition agreement without the promised policy changes, emphasizing that the policy changes fought for by the entire Union, particularly the Young Union, must be implemented.
- Winkel stated that the CDU may not sign a coalition contract without a policy change, as he considers the decisions on the special debt program and the relaxation of the debt brake during the election campaign to be untruths and insolvency-prone practices.
- Internal pressure on Armin Laschet is mounting, as Winkel criticizes his leadership, including the decision to pass a migration motion with the votes of the AfD, which, according to Winkel, practically revived the Left and is not in the best interest of the CDU.
