Friederich Merz has long been considered one of the harshest critics of the policies of long-term Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU). Now he has to deliver and show that he can do better – albeit in the opposition after the Union’s historically worst result of 24.1 percent in a federal election.
There are a number of new faces in the CDU leadership. Among other things, Merz has announced that it will entrust its deputies with key topics in which they will then develop concrete positions on content. The chairman has entrusted the leadership of the Principles and Program Commission to the former head of the economic wing of the Union, Carsten Linnemann.
The fact that Merz also took up the chair of the parliamentary group is likely to have something to do with the public impact of the office. The unification of party and faction leadership offers opportunities and risks: Merz has the largest possible stage for an opposition party. But if he makes a mistake or if the polls don’t change, grumbling shouldn’t be long in coming.