Friedrich Merz has warned in the competition for the CDU chairmanship of a social democratization of the party. "We do not have to take over all positions that the Social Democrats find right," said the former Union faction leader on Tuesday at a regional conference of his party in Böblingen.
The question was whether the CDU in the future wants to be a liberal, conservative and social convincing party giving place. Merz received a lot of applause for his speech. Chancellor Angela Merkel, the longtime CDU leader, had been repeatedly accused by the conservative wing of turning the party to the left.
Merz said the CDU must openly admit that it has not received enough "uncomfortable questions" from society in recent years. The CDU positions were no longer clear enough.
Merz for basic tax reform
Specifically, Merz criticized the pension policy of the black-red coalition, he also spoke out for a fundamental tax reform. Performance should be worthwhile again, said Merz. Especially he received much applause from the CDU members in the economically strong Baden-Württemberg.
Merz 'rival, Secretary General Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, went on her part on the offensive. To Merz 'repeated criticism of the party's previous party line, she said on Tuesday during a visit to the CDU parliamentary group in Stuttgart: "If you want to prove certain persons or certain leadership circles with this charge, then you have to call Ross and Reiter."
The third promising candidate for the CDU presidency, Federal Health Minister Jens Spahn, said at the appointment on AfD: "I am of the opinion that we have a shared responsibility, that they are now in 16 state legislatures and also in the Bundestag, because we trust lost because of the fact that problems were not solved in concrete terms. "
Kramp-Karrenbauer in turn appealed to the unity of the party. "Anyone who stands for this election must, as chairman and now as a candidate, make sure that the party is more closed and stronger on day one after the congress."
Criticism of CSU and FDP
At the evening event in Böblingen, the three candidates agreed on at least one point: all three spoke in favor of a complete abolition of the solidarity surcharge until 2021 and an approximation of VAT rates.
Merz went even further. He spoke out in favor of raising the VAT rate for the hotel industry, which was lowered by the black-and-yellow coalition in 2010. "The CSU and FDP have us registered that alone would be worth the effort," said Merz. At the beginning of 2010, the hotel overnight rate had been reduced from 19 percent to the reduced rate of seven percent.
Merz also proposed an adjustment of the so-called cold progression every two or three years. This refers to the effect that additional taxation arises solely because income tax rates are not adjusted to inflation.
"To cope when a woman follows a woman"
Self-critical was Kramp-Karrenbauer in the face of the strengthening of the AfD. In this context, she spoke of a "failure" of her party. The people and also CDU members would have felt that the party had not taken enough of their concerns and "legitimate fears".
Kramp-Karrenbauer added that she also practices self-criticism on this question as secretary-general, "because in the last few years I was also part of the whole thing".
In a newspaper interview Kramp-Karrenbauer defended himself against criticism that with her again a woman would be on the party leadership. Demands that after 18 years Merkel now a man should take the lead again, she replied in the "Rhein-Neckar-Zeitung": "If the CDU has not suffered in the past, that a man has followed a man is strong enough to withstand when a woman follows a woman. "
The decision on the CDU chairmanship will be made at the party congress in Hamburg on 7 December. The long-time CDU leader Merkel does not compete again. Chancellor wants to stay. Böblingen will be followed by regional conferences in Düsseldorf this Wednesday, in Bremen on Thursday and at the end on Friday in Berlin.
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