- Wegner desires to address the prospective chancellor during their question and answer session.
Wegner talks about Merz's leadership strength:
Governing Mayor of Berlin, Kai Wegner (CDU), emphasizes the importance of CDU and CSU members having a say in choosing the Union's Chancellor candidate. He told the "Rheinische Post" from Düsseldorf that the decision should be made through a fair process involving Minister Presidents and committee members from both CDU and CSU. Wegner emphasized the need for unity to effectively position themselves for the Chancellor candidacy.
Wegner expresses his belief in Merz's strength as a leader:
Merz, who serves as CDU chairperson and opposition leader in the Bundestag, mentioned plans to clarify the Union's Chancellor candidate by September or October, as agreed with CSU leader Markus Söder. According to Merz, this decision will be made before the scheduled federal election in 2025. Söder sees Merz as the clear favorite for the role.
When asked if Merz would also make a strong Chancellor candidate, Wegner agreed with the "Rheinische Post": "Merz is a strong chairperson." He has also managed to unify the Bundestag fraction.
However, Wegner also pointed out that the Union is struggling to gain more support, with around 30 percent popularity in the Bund. He called for swift answers on what the Union will do if it retakes the Chancellery, to ensure a clearer message is conveyed. Wegner previously advocated for Minister Presidents and CDU state chairpersons to have some influence in selecting the Union's Chancellor candidate in March.
The Federal government could significantly benefit from Merz's leadership skills, as Wegner has acknowledged his strength as a leader within the CDU. Furthermore, the Federal government's decision on the Chancellor candidate should ideally include the input of both CDU and CSU members, as suggested by Wegner.
