Before it starts this Monday lunchtime, it makes a lot of noise. Something heavy has fallen down in front of the stage in the Konrad-Adenauer-Haus, but the security guards relax immediately. Nothing bad obviously, the press conference of Angela Merkel and Volker Bouffier can begin.

The humming fits but very well to what has been played in the previous hours in the CDU headquarters.

What announces party leader Merkel first in the smallest executive committee, the bureau, and then on the board, is a sensation. The Chancellor will speak of a "new chapter" at the press conference, while others speak of a turning point. After careful consideration, she decided not to run for office again for the chairmanship of the party congress in December after 18 years in office, said Merkel.

In video: Merkel's press conference

Video

DPA

Many have been touched, can be heard later, not even excluding those who have not been able to wait for a long time for Merkel to finally leave.

A CDU without Merkel at the top is back about as long as a German national football team under Erich Ribbeck. So an eternity. It is therefore already high time for something to change in this party. But suddenly there is sadness, too.

Except perhaps Friedrich Merz, whose willingness to compete for the CDU chairmanship, made public via "Bild" newspaper shortly after the Merkel's notice of withdrawal. In 2002, Merkel snatched him from the post of Bundestag Union faction leader, whereupon Merz got completely out of politics and got into the business and financial world. Now he is apparently considering a comeback.

photo gallery


7 pictures

CDU presidency: These are the possible Merkel successors

Two other CDU politicians have already decided on a candidacy, still announce in the board meeting Secretary General Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer and Federal Health Minister Jens Spahn their applications to the Hamburg Party Congress.

Merkel's trusted Kramp-Karrenbauer, according to participants, have gained considerably more support than Spahn. Whether that is already an indication of the respective chances of success? It is probably still too early, especially since there could be other serious candidates like North Rhine-Westphalia's prime minister Armin Laschet. He is apparently still thinking. She, emphasizes Merkel, will stay out of the succession competition anyway.

So tremendous waves Merkel's announcement beats, into the stock market world and far beyond Germany's borders - in the next moment, "align the Spähne new," as a prominent CDU supervisor says. And Merkel not only makes a big farewell move, because it's time after 18 years, but because the party groans and squeaks under the late chairman.

Landtag election Hesse 2018

Preliminary final result

Second vote result

Shares in percent

CDU

27

-11.3

SPD

19.8

-10.9

green

19.8

+8.7

The left

6.3

+1.1

FDP

7.5

+2.5

AFD

13.1

+9

other

6.5

+0.9

allocation of seats

Total: 137

Majority: 69 seats

9

29

29

11

40

19

The left (9)

SPD (29)

Green (29)

FDP (11)

CDU (40)

AfD (19)

Source: Provincial Returning Officer

Results in detail

Recently she lost - that is why Hesse CDU Prime Minister Volker Bouffier at the press conference next to Merkel - almost eleven percentage points in the state election, in the nationwide polls, the Union slipped even lower.

Many people wonder why Merkel announces only step 1 of their political withdrawal this Monday. Because Chancellor, she shares with the party committees also, she wants to remain without the CDU chairmanship. Step 2 should be done in 2021.

CDU is also lame because of GroKo

The problems of the CDU, also from Merkel's point of view, are closely related to the Grand Coalition, which they cite as Chancellor: "The image given by the government is unacceptable," says Merkel. But she is just of the opinion that this coalition, for whose formation the still-CDU boss had taken high risks, with her at the top again can become a model of success.

Merkel is so convinced that she even throws overboard a conviction that has been sacred to her so far: the party chairmanship and government office are all in one hand. "It's a risk, not a question," she says at the press conference. "But considering all the advantages and disadvantages, I have come to the conclusion that it is justifiable to take this risk."

When former Chancellor Gerhard Schröder handed over the SPD presidency to Franz Müntefering in 2004, opposition leader Merkel spoke of a "loss of authority across the board" as "the beginning of the end of this government". One and a half years later Schröder was actually voted out and Merkel Chancellor.

photo gallery


23 pictures

Angela Merkel: 18 years CDU boss - a review

So it is far from certain that Merkel's plan will work, even if she is convinced of it. Whether she will remain Chancellor until the end of the legislature, ie until 2021. The doubts in the compared to the CDU even more battered SPD are getting bigger, whether they should continue the government. Personnel discussions should also increase among the Social Democrats following the announced partial withdrawal of Merkel. In the CSU, the debate about the controversial party leader Horst Seehofer should get new momentum, which could also affect his office as Federal Interior Minister.

"I am convinced that we have to stop," says Merkel, referring to the state elections in Hesse. "And I wish that we take yesterday's election day as a break, that we put everything to the test, which we have said and done since the election of the Bundestag until today." From Merkel's point of view, this means better governance. From the perspective of many Social Democrats: no longer govern. In addition, there are already demands from the CDU that Merkel should hand in the chairmanship of the Chancellery as well.

Merkel: decision was already made before the summer break

The fact that she decided, as she said on Monday, before the summer break to their partial retreat, while their party and the public based on statements from a renewed candidacy in Hamburg, should also cause trouble. Nobody has initiated it, says Merkel, that sometimes is better for those affected. But perhaps the CSU election campaigners in Bavaria or the CDU in Hesse would have liked to know it earlier - and so much freer to campaign for votes?

And is the CDU really getting back on its feet, getting rid of the annoying AfD competition and, on the other hand, bringing voters back from the Greens just because suddenly Kramp-Karrenbauer, Spahn or whoever leads the party? More needs to happen for that. Especially since it could be pretty ugly for the Christian Democrats. Because open personnel competition is unlike other parties not used to. Twice before there were several candidates in the history of the CDU for the party presidency.

"I have always wished and made my dignity to bear my political and party political offices and one day to leave them with dignity," Merkel said at the press conference. "At the same time I know that such a thing in a political order can not be planned on the drawing board." That's exactly where the problem lies: she may have used the last moment to manage her own departure. That's more than any other Chancellor has succeeded in front of her.

But so far it's just a plan. Not more.