Germany’s Christian Democratic Union (CDU) is cleaning up after a losing election two weeks ago. The entire party leadership must be re-elected, select the current council. It should happen at the end of this year at a special party congress.
The decision almost certainly means the end of party leader and party leader Armin Laschet. He’s only been head of the CDU since January. Laschet already hinted last weekend that he was ready to leave, especially now that the CDU has been sidelined in the exploration of the new cabinet for now.
The CDU and its Bavarian sister party CSU (which has its own council) won the parliamentary elections The worst result in their existence. Chancellor Merkel’s outgoing party lost more than 8 percentage points and finished behind the SPD for the first time since 2002. Together with two other winners, the Greens and the Free Democratic Party, the SPD is now looking into the possibility of forming a new government.
“Nothing or no one survived”
Despite the loss, no heads have been rolled with CDU so far. This also relates to the fact that in theory the party can still enter the next government and Laschet can become a chancellor. Practically speaking, this opportunity now looks like nothing. Many local chapters now want an overhaul.
A date will be set in early November for Congress to elect new directors and assess electoral defeat. CDU director Paul Zimyak said nothing or no one should be saved. It is not yet clear how the 400,000 CDU members will be given a voice in the renewal process.
