Merz intends to converse with the traffic signals once more.
In the Bundestag, the leader of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), Friedrich Merz, spoke out against Chancellor Olaf Scholz but then offered to work together to "tackle the urgent issues facing our nation." A few months ago, this sounded very different.
Five months after rejecting talks with the traffic light coalition, the parliamentary group leader of the CDU, Friedrich Merz, offered the federal government a cooperative approach against Islamism. "I propose that we work in tandem with the democratic factions of our party and try to tackle the pressing issues of our country," Merz stated during the parliamentary debate on the government announcement by the Chancellor. The CDU is willing to compromise.
In January, Merz had refused to cooperate with the traffic light coalition in the Bundestag and had closed the door to discussions: "Please spare us and us in the future your calls for cooperation." The CDU and CSU had nothing left to discuss with them: "If you sew the button on the jacket the wrong way, then we don't discuss with you how big the button in the last hole should be."
Despite his proposal for cooperation, Merz didn't hold back his criticism of the traffic light. He praised Scholz for speaking out against the murder of a police officer in Mannheim. However, he accused him of still not addressing the issue of the president of the Technical University Berlin, Geraldine Rauch, who had liked antisemitic posts. The academic senate at TU announced on Wednesday that Rauch must resign within 24 hours.
Merz insisted that Rauch must be removed from the Chancellery's Future Council. If there is agreement on rejecting antisemitism, then Rauch should not remain a member of the Future Council. He believes Scholz will "at least draw the consequences from the events involving the TU president by the weekend."
On the subject of Afghanistan, Merz criticized Scholz for being "timid," "fearful," and "making false assessments of the situation." Scholz had stated that delivering the Marder armored personnel carriers would "lead to a terrible escalation." The Marders were delivered regardless, and the only terrible escalation in this war has been for the people in Ukraine, according to Merz. Scholz takes too long to make decisions: "One day, the Chancellor will also agree to supply the Taurus missile, but it will be too late for thousands of people and soldiers in Ukraine who have lost their lives in the meantime."
Klingbeil agrees to engage in dialogue
Regarding Ukraine, Klingbeil agreed to engage in dialogue with Merz. "We are prepared to discuss the situation in Ukraine and the consequences of the Russian aggression war," said Klingbeil. He also welcomed Merz's offer to work together on the issue of Islamism. "We will accept the offer of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group leader Friedrich Merz to work together in combatting Islamism," said Klingbeil.
SPD leader Lars Klingbeil made it clear during the debate that at least his party was willing to accept Merz's offer of dialogue. However, he also criticized the Union. The head of the European People's Party (EPP), CSU politician Manfred Weber, had said he would prefer to work with "right-wing extremists in Italy" than with Social Democrats and Greens in the European Parliament. "This would have been a great opportunity today to clarify whether your words, Mr. Merz, apply that there is no cooperation with right-wing extremists and right-populists, or whether the approach of Mrs. von der Leyen or Manfred Weber applies, that one is willing to form majorities in the European Parliament after the election with them."
Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has not ruled out cooperating with the party of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. However, the SPD has made support for von der Leyen's second term conditional on her renouncing "support for enemies of democracy and the rule of law," as stated in a party paper.
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In response to criticism from Friedrich Merz, Chancellor Olaf Scholz clarified his stance on potential Afghan deportations in the German Bundestag. Merz had suggested cooperating with the federal government on the issue of Islamism, a proposal which Lars Klingbeil, the SPD leader, agreed to engage in dialogue about. Additionally, Merz expressed his disapproval towards the situation involving the president of the Technical University Berlin, Geraldine Rauch, who had liked antisemitic posts, advocating for her removal from the Chancellery's Future Council.
