German Chancellor Friedrich Merz secured a 91.17% vote to retain leadership of the CDU at the party congress in Stuttgart.
Merkel’s Presence Interpreted as Support
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz was elected chairman of the CDU for the third time at the party congress in Stuttgart. Former Chancellor and CDU leader Angela Merkel was also present. According to the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Merkel’s appearance can only be interpreted as a gesture of support for Merz.
The newspaper states: “It did not stem from a sudden surge of sympathy for the former rival, but rather from the conviction that Germany needs a capable and willing government in the difficult times described by Merz.”
Merz’s Political Strategy
The newspaper notes that Merz made a significant effort to achieve a good result in the CDU leadership elections and seemed to want to build on his successful performance at the Munich Security Conference. “In Stuttgart, however, he should have spoken more as an internal politician and reformer than as a foreign affairs chancellor,” the article states.
“1,001 delegates applauded for so long that Merz could count on solid confirmation as party leader,” the paper adds.
High Approval Despite Public Dissatisfaction
Süddeutsche Zeitung comments that 91.17% of the vote in Merz’s re-election is an excellent result under current circumstances. Even if votes against are counted, Merz still achieves 89.87%.