Part of the fate of Armin Laschet in this election campaign, which is now coming to an end, was that where he appeared he often could not be quite sure whether it was a home or an away game.

Even in CDU strongholds it could happen to him that the people there cheered him with the handbrake on, for example because the majority had stuck to his rival, the CSU chairman Markus Söder, in the power struggle for the candidacy for chancellor.

Timo Frasch

Political correspondent in Munich.

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It was all the more remarkable that the Bavarians of all people gave him a warm welcome: two weeks ago at the CSU party conference in Nuremberg, now at the final rally of the CSU in Munich on the Nockherberg.

Normally there is little to gain for politicians there - every year they pick up meanness while licking and have to put on a good face for the bad game.

Laschet was also able to gain a lot of experience in this discipline during the election campaign - but he didn't need it on Friday.

Support from Merkel and Söder

In a sunny Oktoberfest atmosphere, young unionists, all of whom seemed to have stepped out of a Lodenfrey catalog, as well as Söder and Angela Merkel led him into the hall. The Chancellor made it clear what it is about from her point of view: prevent red-green-red and keep the country on course. In the election campaign there was a great deal of talk about distributing money and very little about making money. The political opponent to the left of the Union is threatening economic prosperity, for example because he wants to turn the EU into a debt union. But it also endangers security. The left, for example, wants to cut defense spending. Merkel appealed to the people who were helping themselves from their snack boards downstairs to forget what they “maybe didn't like here and there” during the election campaign:"In order for Germany to remain stable, Armin Laschet must remain Federal Chancellor."

Söder gave a speech that Laschet shortly afterwards described as “grandiose” and “great”. In any case, from the point of view of the entire Union (including Schäuble, Bouffier, Merz and the Brinkhaus present) there should have been no reason for complaint. Germany should not become an "experimental field for left-wing spinning mills", said Söder, that was only guaranteed with "our Armin Laschet" in the Chancellery. The SPD candidate Olaf Scholz has “not what it takes to be Chancellor”.

Between Scholz and the FDP chairman Christian Lindner, Söder even identified “immoral vibrations”, in other words: frivolous preparatory actions for a traffic light government without the Union.

Offices are a “seduction”, said Söder, who can feel that at Lindner.

Conclusion: To vote for the FDP does not only mean to vote on the left, but - worst of all - "not Bavarian".

This folly is only surpassed by people who may believe that they are voting particularly Bavarian and then end up with the free voters - that is "the most senseless voting" of all.

Söder even went so far as to call on the audience: "Put over the free-voter posters: both votes for the CSU."

Laschet and the speech for the Bavarian audience

That was not the only point on which Laschet shared Söder's strategic approach in principle or even explicitly agreed with it. After his appearance in Nuremberg, the Union Chancellor candidate again gave a speech that was tailored to the dashing Dirndl and Janker audience. The fact that it was a completely different speech than at the CSU party congress made the matter even more remarkable. This time Laschet warned urgently against red-green-red, without offending the SPD in its pride in its own history.

Nevertheless, the best templates had recently been provided to him by the deputy SPD chairman Kevin Kühnert, who may want the SPD members to vote on a coalition agreement. "In Scholz's place," said Laschet, "I would be very cautious when the word membership decision comes up." He accuses the SPD candidate of a lack of authenticity because he apparently does not satisfy himself and tries to appear as Angela Merkel , sometimes as Helmut Schmidt. He is not both. Even he, Laschet, is not Angela Merkel.

Laschet once again outlined how he envisions the solution to the world's problems: with a clear commitment to the social market economy, the instruments of which are also best used to combat climate change, and to internal and external security, which involves not only higher spending but also armed drones demand.

In the hall, Laschet remembered how he once came to Munich as a student: via the central registration office for university places.

Munich was his “fourth wish” - but actually his “place of longing”.

Maybe at some point Munich will discover that this is mutual and that the second wish can also be a man of longing.

In any case, Friday was not a bad start, even if Laschet's exclamation, “Armin and Markus, this will be a great team” (in a future coalition) may testify to an exaggerated belief in his bridge-building qualities.

Not many had heard him anyway.

Because the CSU had only invited guests into the manageable hall.

Given the difficult situation, she could have risked more.