AKK did not want Merkel's resignation from office, but parts of the CDU did

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The previous CDU chairman and defense minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer (CDU) confirmed to the "FAZ" that there had been discussions within the party as early as the spring of 2019, according to which Chancellor Angela Merkel should have resigned prematurely.

However, neither Kramp-Karrenbauer nor Merkel herself wanted that.

"But there was such a discussion at the time with some in the CDU," said Kramp-Karrenbauer.

She also commented on the debate about the “workshop talk” of February 2019, in which the CDU discussed refugee policy.

“It is well known that this led to debates between Angela Merkel and me,” said Kramp-Karrenbauer.

But she still stands by the decision to have proceeded that way today.

The whole issue of migration has relaxed and helped the CDU to get closer to the CSU.

At the time, she was skeptical about the reports that Merkel did not consider her suitable for the candidacy for chancellor.

Another topic was the successor to Kramp-Karrenbauers, who announced on February 20 of last year that it would be relinquishing the chairmanship of the party.

“The CDU, like hardly any other party, has the claim: We want to govern.

In the CDU, therefore, a very important point is how someone deals with responsibility, ”said Kramp-Karrenbauer.

The actual government experience among the applicants lies with Armin Laschet.

With this, Kramp-Karrenbauer indicated that she favored the North Rhine-Westphalian Prime Minister Laschet, even if all three candidates had the “desire for responsibility” and “the ability to do so”.

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Who will take over the party chairmanship will be decided this weekend at the CDU party congress, which should originally have taken place on December 4th.

In addition to Laschet, candidates for the post are Friedrich Merz, former parliamentary group leader of the Union, and Norbert Röttgen, chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee.

Previously, there had been a dispute about how to proceed after the postponement of the party congress.

Merz in particular had called for the party congress to take place in 2020 because the “party establishment” wanted to prevent him as party leader.

Kramp-Karrenbauer contradicted this: "I have never understood Merz's accusation that the CDU establishment does not want him." It would only have been about postponing the party congress because of Corona.