How Melis Sekmen could help the CDU
A Green parliamentarian from Mannheim, Melis Sekmen, has switched sides. She has left her old party and become a member of the CDU. Welcome, she was welcomed by the Union faction, which now has 197 members. Her new party is the CDU, as CDU chairman Friedrich Merz announced to journalists in Berlin on Tuesday morning. In the afternoon session, she introduced herself - still as a guest. She received a long applause from the parliamentarians, as ntv.de learned from participants.
She introduced herself as a "Monnemerin" in dialect and spoke of her family history. Her grandfather came to Germany as a guest worker, and her parents also had a migration background. "These are all people who have shaped me and helped me look beyond the plate," she said. She has been advocating for encouraging more people for entrepreneurship for many years. "I confess to social market economy," she added. Merz spoke of a "impressive family history" before the session. The demands of the Greens for Sekmen to resign were rejected. She is a freely elected parliamentarian and only bound by her conscience.
Four Qualities
Sekmen's reason for her move must have appealed to both: The new CDU principle program has convinced the 30-year-old former municipal politician, as she stated in an Instagram video. Sekmen could be a real reinforcement for the CDU - at least on paper. She brings with her four qualities that are often missed in the party.
- She is young
The CDU has rarely been a party of the youth in its history. At the beginning of the current legislative period in 2021, only six percent of its members were 30 years or younger. The average age is around 61 years. The same applies to the CSU and the SPD. But it doesn't have to be that way. The Greens, the Left, and the FDP present themselves as different. Approximately 20 percent of their members are under 30. However, the Union parliamentarians in the Bundestag are significantly younger than their members. On average, they were 49.3 years old in October three and a half years ago.
- She is a woman
The CDU is still largely dominated by men. This has not changed much in the 18 years of Angela Merkel's party leadership. About a quarter of its members are women. At the SPD, it is one third, and at the Greens, more than 40 percent - the highest proportion in any major German party. The CDU still lags behind the CSU, FDP, and AfD in terms of the number of women. However, the low proportion of women can create the impression that the party is lagging behind in terms of equal opportunities. This may not sit well with many women - and half of the electorate is female. Women also vote for men. In fact, women have voted disproportionately for the CDU and CSU since 1953. In contrast, the FDP and AfD are mainly voted for by men.
- She comes from a big city
The CDU has a strong rural base. This is not a bad thing, but it can create the impression that the party is out of touch with urban issues. The CDU's strong focus on rural areas can make it seem insensitive to urban problems. This can be a problem, especially since more and more people live in cities. Urban issues are becoming increasingly important, and the CDU needs to address them if it wants to remain relevant. Sekmen, as a parliamentarian from a big city, can help the CDU better understand urban issues and communicate its positions more effectively to urban voters.
- She is an immigrant
The CDU has a reputation for being a party of the establishment. This can make it difficult for newcomers, especially those with a migration background, to feel welcome. The CDU's focus on tradition and stability can create a perception that it is not open to new ideas or people. However, the party has a long history of welcoming immigrants and has many successful members with a migration background. Sekmen, as a parliamentarian with a migration background, can help the CDU better understand the experiences and perspectives of immigrants and communicate its positions more effectively to this growing group of voters.
Still a problem for the CDU: The metropolitan areas. The CDU's homeland are rural areas, the same goes for the CSU. This is indeed a strength. After all, around 40% of Germans live in cities with fewer than 100,000 inhabitants. However, the party often performs poorly in large cities. The Greens and SPD, on the other hand, perform exceptionally well. However, the black-and-white image is not as clear-cut as it used to be. For example, the CDU won the repeat election in Berlin, and the communal election in Mannheim, Melis Sekmen's hometown. Since July 2023, the CDU has been the ruling party there, with Sekmen as the mayor. In contrast, the SPD won the direct mandate in the Bundestag election. Sekmen came in third place with the Greens. It remains unclear whether she could achieve better results for her new party as a CDU candidate. Young voters, however, might be more attracted to her.
She has a migration background
People with a migration background exist in the CDU, but they are less common than in other parties. This is a concern for any people's party - especially since around 30% of Germans now have roots in other countries. Among children and youth, this figure is even higher, at 40%. Sekmen is one such person. Her father is from Turkey. The CDU sees itself as the last people's party - but shouldn't this also be reflected in its membership structure? The Union faction in the Bundestag, in particular, is at the bottom of the list. A mere 4.1% of its members had a migration background at the end of 2021. This is fewer than in the AfD with 7.2%. The Left and SPD lead the way with 28 and 17%, respectively.
Ultimately, these four characteristics are just labels that the politician Sekmen can be put into. The young politician, by the way, doesn't particularly like being put into these boxes - she received a round of applause in the faction for the statement: "We must express our opinion without being immediately put into a box."
In any case, she will first have to win over her new party friends and above all the electorate with her work. The same goes for a potential CDU candidacy for the next Bundestag election in Mannheim. This is by no means certain for her. Anyone who switches parties after many years with the Greens must first earn trust. How convinced is she really of the party program? How much "Green" is still in her? The party certainly doesn't hang the party switch on the triumphal arch. No trace of triumphalism in sight.
- The ex-Greens member Melis Sekmen highlighted her migration background during her introduction speech, acknowledging the influence of her grandfather, a guest worker, and her parents who also had migration backgrounds.
- Sekmen's decision to join the CDU could potentially help the party connect better with young voters and urban issues, as she brings a fresh perspective as a young, female, and big city parliamentarian with a migration background.
- Despite the potential advantages of Sekmen's four qualities, she still needs to earn the trust of her new party colleagues and the electorate with her actions and dedication to the CDU's principles.
