Electoral manifesto of the Union: Laschet promises a boost to modernization

The CDU and CSU promise a "modernization boost for Germany" in the federal election campaign.

The Union wants to actively shape the current change of epochs, said the CDU chairman Armin Laschet on Monday in Berlin.

Previously, the leaders of the CDU and CSU had unanimously decided on the Union's federal election program at their retreat.

"We combine consistent climate protection with economic strength and social security," said Laschet.

"We provide security and cohesion in times of change."

The 140-page manifest is entitled “The Program for Stability and Renewal. Together for a modern Germany ". "What our country expects from us is a boost to modernization for Germany," said Laschet. He was talking about a change of epoch. The Union doesn't just want to react, it wants to "actively shape" it. The surge in digitization in the pandemic has shown: “There is no such thing as 'can't do' in Germany any more.” Laschet announced a “decade of modernization”. Germany must be more defensive: against pandemics, against cyber attacks, against populism.

Laschet spoke of a triad consisting of climate protection, economic strength and social security.

"We are leading Germany out of the crisis with a policy of new ideas," he said.

"We back up families and medium-sized businesses." The challenges are not national, but global.

“We provide security and cohesion in times of change.” In addition, the Union demands that Europe act “more capable of acting, faster, more courageous and more determined”.

In view of the growing influence of China, Laschet said: "We Europeans must show with commitment that liberal and free societies are also capable of high performance." Laschet criticized bureaucratic hurdles.

"A state that wants to regulate even more will fail."

"Germans do not trust the Green Chancellery"

Finally, he went into family policy.

The Union wants to "strengthen families and single parents," said Laschet.

She wants to advocate affordable housing.

It must also be possible for the middle of society to acquire property again.

Laschet expressly thanked the Bavarian Prime Minister Markus Söder, with whom he presented the program together, that they had "coordinated it very intensively".

Laschet distinguished himself sharply from the AfD: “Diversity is an opportunity,” he said.

Exclusion weakens “our country”.

The Union will do everything to keep the AfD small.

His message is: "We keep an eye on everyone."

Bavaria's Prime Minister Markus Söder was optimistic.

"The starting position for the Union has improved significantly," he said.

This is due to the "very good performance" of Armin Laschet, the unity of the CDU and CSU and the Greens.

“The Germans do not trust the Greens to hold the Chancellery,” he said.

Solid government experience is needed, not bans, but offers.

But none of this is a reason to sit back, said Söder.

Söder believes the program is balanced.

There is neither a preponderance of one or the other of the two sisters, he said about the two Union parties. “The program is aimed at regular voters, but also at all those who were considering voting for the first time for themselves.