Merz and Söder jointly address the media crowd
The age-old question has been hovering for quite some time: Who's going to be the Union's prospective chancellor candidate? This question might finally find an answer soon. According to recent reports, CDU chairperson Friedrich Merz and CSU leader Markus Söder are planning to hold a joint press conference in Berlin. Sources claim that Merz is the frontrunner for the position.
CDU chairman Merz and CSU leader Söder have scheduled a sudden press conference in Berlin for Tuesday at 12 PM at the Bavarian Representation. It's widely believed that they'll announce their decision on the chancellor candidacy during this event.
As per a report by Bloomberg, a well-informed source confirms Merz as the probable pick. Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz appears to be preparing for Merz's chancellor bid. "I've mentioned before that I'd be comfortable with Merz as the Union's chancellor candidate," Scholz comments.
The two party heads had previously promised a decision on the Union's chancellor situation in late summer. Now, it's widely expected that the Union will rally behind Merz for the upcoming federal election. However, the Union's party bodies will ultimately make the final call.
Following Monday evening's confirmation by North Rhine-Westphalia's Minister President Hendrik Wüst that he won't run for chancellor and will support Merz, many CDU politicians have expressed their support for Merz and called for party unity. The parliamentary business manager of the Union, Thorsten Frei, urges the Union parties to stand together. "Elections are only won with strong unity," Frei says to the "Rheinische Post". The deputy chairman of the Union faction, Jens Spahn, also welcomes Wüst's decision to step down from the chancellor race. "Wüst's decision is a significant step towards Union unity and thus towards winning the 2025 election," Spahn tells the "Rheinische Post". The new chairperson of the Christian Democratic Workers' Association (CDA), Dennis Radtke, shares similar views. He describes Wüst's decision as "an important signal". "Only with unity and positive team spirit can elections be won," Radtke tells the newspaper.
Previously, the deputy chairperson of the CDU, Karin Prien, had suggested that the CDU and CSU should soon agree on a chancellor candidate. During an interview with ntv, Prien predicted that "it's time to deliver results now". In her opinion, the chancellor candidacy is more likely to go to Friedrich Merz than CSU leader Markus Söder. Prien's comments on Söder's aspirations were: "Somebody wanted to be called, but nobody called."
The increasing pressure on Merz and Söder to reveal their decision about the chancellor candidacy has been mounting due to the upcoming federal election. The joint press conference in Berlin is anticipated to be a pivotal moment, where they might announce their chosen candidate under the weight of public expectation.
