Merz criticizes traffic lights for the growth of radicals.
In response to the recent election results, Merz expressed his opinion that the government coalition's current policy was directly responsible. It's time for a change, and the coalition itself needs to alter its approach, he said. The growing influence of the AfD presents a significant challenge for the Union, particularly in eastern German states where they topped the charts in the EU elections. Though it's not an ideal situation, Merz remains optimistic, predicting that the CDU will regain its position as the most powerful party in the upcoming state elections in September.
As for the call from CSU leader Markus Söder for federal-level elections, Merz seemingly does not support this idea. While he didn't explicitly rule out the possibility of elections in 2024, he did mention that it would be up to the federal chancellor to make that decision. One thing is certain - the government has lost the trust of the majority of citizens. Sunday's results were a wake-up call for the federal government to reassess its actions.
Despite being the frontrunner in the European election, Merz was quick to dismiss any speculation that the party's decision on the Union's chancellor candidate in 2024 could be swayed by the outcome of the election. Instead, he views the election as an endorsement of their current path and his role within it. The Union parties, earlier this week, secured 30.0% of the votes, a staggering achievement despite not being entirely satisfied with the result.
Over the coming weeks, the party leadership will hold a private meeting to dissect the election's findings, with the results to be shared with party members on July 1st.
"We're not yet satisfied," he said.
