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The CSU chairman Markus Söder has accepted the decision of the CDU board in favor of Armin Laschet's candidacy for chancellor. "The die is cast. Armin Laschet becomes the Union's candidate for chancellor. My word that I gave has been valid for a week, ”said Söder in an exceptionally short press conference on Tuesday in Munich. Söder thanked the district associations, members of parliament and minister-presidents from all over Germany for an “extraordinary amount”, especially the “young, modern ones who were looking for the future”.

“But it is clear to me: There is responsibility for the country - that would have been the willingness to run.

But there is also responsibility for the Union. ”He called Armin Laschet and congratulated him, Söder said.

“I offered him full support as the CSU.” Söder emphasized that he would support Laschet “without resentment and with full strength”.

“There are days of discussion.

There are days of decision.

It happened now, and that's why it's important to look to the future together. ”In a democracy, it is important that parties come together in the end.

“We don't want a division, but a closed community.” There will certainly still be discussions.

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"But we will make our contribution to mutual success in Bavaria." He wishes Laschet every success.

CSU general secretary Markus Blume called Söder the "candidate of hearts" during the press conference.

He added: "But in a democracy, even one within the party, something different ultimately decides: the majority."

On the night of Tuesday, the CDU federal executive board voted with a clear majority in favor of Armin Laschet as the Union's candidate for chancellor.

Of the 46 voting board members, 31 voted for CDU chairman Laschet and 9 for CSU boss Söder.

There were 6 abstentions.

Söder had previously stated that he would accept the result of the CDU board meeting.

It remains to be seen whether the controversial debate about the candidacy for chancellor is now completely over.

The reaction of the Union faction in the Bundestag in the afternoon and the feedback from the CDU base in the coming days are therefore eagerly awaited.

There had been great encouragement for Söder in the past few days.

Critical voices also came from the CSU on Tuesday.

The chairman of the CSU regional group in the Bundestag, Alexander Dobrindt, said that the process left “quite a few question marks”.

But it brought a result.

“And you have to deal with the result.” Dobrindt predicted that the process would lead to discussions.

But they also have “the common mandate that we do not extend processes permanently”.