Germany’s CDU meets to outline new electoral strategy following European Parliament losses
Germany’s ruling Christian Democratic Union (CDU) will meet today following the party’s lackluster performance in the recent European elections.
Though the party finished atop the polls, support fell seven points from four years ago to just 28.9%.
The CDU conference will be tense for reasons beyond the party’s poor electoral performance. The meeting was originally called by Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer (AKK), the party’s leader and Merkel’s heir apparent, to pressure the chancellor into resigning before her term expires in 2021. Arguing that separating the party leader from the chancellorship has harmed the party, AKK has appealed to the CDU’s conservative bloc to support her in replacing Merkel early as chancellor.
However, a number of controversial public gaffs have lost AKK support from within the party. Indeed, she is rumoured to have lost the goodwill of her original backer, Chancellor Merkel. As Kramp-Karrenbauer’s polling numbers continue to tank, it becomes more assured that Merkel will serve out the remainder of her term. In the short-to-medium term, expect challenges to AKK’s leadership, especially from conservative Freidrich Merz and liberal Armin Laschet.
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