Early Wednesday evening, Friedrich Merz has once again missed an opportunity to provide clarity. Merz did not even want to hint at his appearance at the Berlin headquarters of the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung, which role he sees in the CDU in future. To the event, at which Merz on the topic "The new role of the United States - Economic Policy Answers in Germany and Europe" spoke, the content of course, would not have fit at all.
But the real reason why he did not want to express himself to journalists on the sidelines of the appointment is likely to be different: Merz simply does not know it yet.
And that in turn is due to the fact that he is inferior to Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer in the run-off election for the CDU chairmanship. Merz is in fact not in the position to make demands or even demands. Especially not in public. Unless he wanted to deepen the trenches that have opened after the Hamburg party congress within the CDU.
But there are no indications so far. Merz had shown himself as a sovereign loser at the Hamburger Bundesparteitag on the Friday afternoon after the tight defeat on Friday afternoon and asked his fans to support Kramp-Karrenbauer with all his might. For another party office, he did not want to compete afterwards, unlike the already retired in the first ballot Jens Spahn, who was then re-elected to the CDU presidency.
His further political future left Merz open in Hamburg. And because he has not expressed himself in terms of CDU ever since, is now speculated by others all the more, demanded, appeals.
It is clear that the new chairman and Merz want to meet soon to talk about his future role. Kramp-Karrenbauer is even more interested in keeping the party together; unlike Chancellor Angela Merkel she should also personally have no problems with Merz. In the course of the regional conferences, it can be heard, the three candidates have approached human despite the rivalry.
Kramp-Karrenbauer has nothing to offer Merz
The problem is: Kramp-Karrenbauer does not really have anything to offer Merz. For a place in the narrow party leadership he had not started - and for other important positions she is not alone responsible.
As the ball would be especially with the Federal Chancellor. From the point of view of the especially eager Merz fans, the matter is clear: your husband must go to the cabinet - and preferably as the new Minister of Economic Affairs instead of Peter Altmaier. The CDU politician is in the Merz camp at the bottom by, since he publicly advertised for Kramp-Karrenbauer before the party congress. For a long time, however, he has been considered dispensable as the representative of the liberal wing and Merkel confidant. Such demands come mainly from Christian Democrats from Baden-Wuerttemberg, but also from the federal executive of the Union SME Association MIT.
Behind this lies the idea that Merz, as Minister of Economic Affairs, could shine so well that he would receive and even expand his chances for the next Chancellor candidate of the Union without party chairmanship.
ParteitagWen the CDU has elected in top offices
That Merz moves into the cabinet, however, is almost unthinkable for several reasons. On the one hand because of Merkel: She is so relieved that her former adversary has not made it to the party chairman - because she will hardly get him into their ministerial team and certainly not sacrifice their faithful Altmaier. Even if this changed in the Ministry of the Interior in the event that Horst Seehofer should retire after his departure as CSU chief in January, Merz would be out there: Seehofer occupied a CSU ministerial office.
Merz, on the other hand, is unlikely to be interested in having to comply with Merkel's policy competence. In addition, the North Rhine-Westphalian CDU state association in the government and faction is already represented beyond the measure, another resort for the Sauerland Merz would blow up the Proporz final.
Another post for Merz, which is speculated about: the MIT chairmanship. By contrast, however, incumbent Carsten Linnemann should already have something, also Merz would lack the stage and access without a mandate to effectively represent the interests of the economy. In addition: a just failed candidate CDU chairman of the MIT chief post is probably a number too small.
Linnemann and Spahn do not need Merz
Anyone like Linnemann, 41, should be quite right anyway, if Merz does not play a permanent role in the first row in federal politics in the future. The MIT boss and parliamentary group vice wants to continue to profile itself as the head of the business wing - otherwise he would be in the shadow of a 63-year-olds. The same applies to Federal Health Minister Spahn, 38. He has already experienced what it feels like during the three-way contest. Spahn sees himself and not Merz as the future of the party.
But a little more Merz may already be. "Someone like Friedrich Merz is doing the party well," Linnemann told the "Passauer Neue Presse", the new chairman should "take a few balls", which this has thrown into the room. What is meant is a profile sharpening of the Christian Democrats in economic matters, but also, for example, in the field of asylum and domestic politics. More just CDU just for the Merz from the perspective of his followers.
And of course Linnemann, Spahn and even supporters of Kramp-Karrenbauer want Merz to get involved in the election campaign next year. Especially in the East German state elections in Saxony, Thuringia and Brandenburg you put in the CDU on him. That would mean Merz could continue his lucrative jobs in business and as a lawyer - occasionally campaigning for the party.
Maybe that's enough for him.