Desert vacates the stage for Merz and Söder
It looked grim from the get-go for Hüst, the NRW Minister-President. Now, he's gone on record stating that he's not aiming for the role of the Union's chancellor candidate in the 2025 federal election. This announcement, made at an NRW CDU executive meeting in Düsseldorf, effectively puts an end to Friedrich Merz's and Markus Söder's races for the CDU party leader position.
Hüst's chances were always slim at best, making his decision not entirely unexpected. Merz had recently suggested that a decision should be made by late summer, with the three eastern state elections serving as a precursor. The elections in Saxony and Thuringia have already passed, and on Sunday, Brandenburg will elect a new state parliament.
Bavaria's Minister-President Söder, on the other hand, has thrown his hat into the ring, abandoning his previous discretion and openly campaigning for the chancellor candidacy. The CDU has consistently backed Merz as the candidate with the first right of refusal.
This morning, Klaus Holetschek, the leader of Bavaria's parliamentary group, hinted that a decision on the chancellor candidacy might come "in the next few days." The CSU faction is unanimous in their support for Söder as the potential chancellor, but they also appreciate him as an excellent Bavarian Minister-President.
Holetschek mentioned that the details surrounding the chancellor candidacy will be discussed in the coming days. However, it's also possible that a decision will be delayed until the state election in Brandenburg, taking place this Sunday.
Huesty's political aspirations seem to be leading him away from the bustling political scene, as he prefers the tranquility of the desert, far from the Union's chancellor race. The Union's chancellor role, much like a desert oasis, is currently shrouded in uncertainties, with potential candidates still in the fray.
