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Düsseldorf (dpa) - Union Chancellor candidate Armin Laschet wants to stay in Berlin regardless of the outcome of the federal election.

"For me it is clear: my place is after the federal election in Berlin," said the CDU federal chairman of the "Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung".

"I want to become Federal Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany and will fight with all my might for the Union to win the election."

When asked whether he would claim “a return ticket to Düsseldorf” in the event of failure in the federal election on September 26th, so that he could continue to govern as Prime Minister of North Rhine-Westphalia, Laschet said: “Definitely no.”

In the interview, the 60-year-old left open whether he wanted to become the leader of the opposition in the Bundestag in the event of a defeat.

"Who will be what, when and how, is decided by the party and parliamentary group based on the votes of the voters."

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According to surveys, the Union is currently suffering massive losses.

The Greens have overtaken the Union in the ZDF “Politbarometer”.

In the poll published on Friday, they are 26 percent, just ahead of the CDU / CSU, which comes to 25 percent.

Laschet had previously left open whether he would run for the Bundestag.

It is also unclear whether he is applying for a direct mandate in his CDU home association, Aachen.

According to the North Rhine-Westphalian state constitution, if Laschet does not become Chancellor, he cannot simply remain Prime Minister and at the same time accept a mandate from the Bundestag.

The constitution says: "A member of the state government cannot be a member of the Bundestag or the federal government at the same time."

In the North Rhine-Westphalian CDU, in view of Laschet's candidacy for chancellor, a debate has broken out about the successor to the post of CDU state chief and prime minister.

Should Laschet become chancellor, an interim prime minister would have to be installed in NRW until the state election in 2022.

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First, however, the NRW CDU is looking for a new state chairman. The board of directors of NRW digital meets on Monday evening and wants to decide on the date of the long overdue state party conference. The question is whether the party congress should be held in the summer or not until after the general election. "Many want to decide on the leadership of the party at a party congress after the general election, as soon as the pandemic situation allows," Laschet told the "FAZ".

As CDU federal and state chief, prime minister and candidate for chancellor, he has now amassed an enormous range of tasks.

NRW Interior Minister Herbert Reul (CDU), a confidante of Laschet, is pushing for a quick decision and amicable solution in the leadership issue of the state CDU.

«My hope was and is that there will be an agreement on the succession.

Because candidacy and opposing candidacy and an associated dispute would not be very intelligent, ”he told the“ Rheinische Post ”(Friday).

He also did not believe in further postponing the decision, stressed Reul.

«(We) are unfortunately in a personnel debate.

We're not going to stop them by postponing the party congress again until autumn. "

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Reul (68) is one of the candidates for Laschet's successor as CDU state chief - as is NRW Transport Minister Hendrik Wüst (45).

Wüst can, among other things, rely on the support of the Junge Union, which had signaled its support.

Wüst is also considered a possible successor to Laschet as Prime Minister.

In the board of the NRW-CDU there are several votes in favor of a postponement of the state party conference to October.

Then there will be clearer options and facts for the future party leadership.

The NRW CDU wants to avoid an open power struggle after the tough struggle between Laschet and CSU boss Markus Söder for the candidacy for chancellor.

Other voices in the CDU leadership advocate a rapid generation change at the party leadership and a decision before the summer holidays.

© dpa-infocom, dpa: 210507-99-509043 / 2