Germany: Armin Laschet says he is ready to leave the CDU presidency

Armin Laschet, the CDU candidate during his legislative campaign, September 25, 2021. Ina Fassbender AFP

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The leader of the Conservatives spoke on Thursday evening, two weeks after his party's defeat in the parliamentary elections in Germany.

The candidate for the chancellery could give way at a congress of his party in order to allow the movement to renew itself.

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How to evoke his departure and his succession without using the ugly word of "resignation"? This is the exercise which the president of the CDU engaged in on Thursday evening. Armin Laschet spoke for many minutes about the difficulties that

Social Democrats, Greens and Liberals will have in reaching an agreement

.

The three parties launched exploratory talks on Thursday.

The Christian Democrat candidate for chancellery reiterated that his party remained open whatever happens to discussions to form a coalition government known as "Jamaica", that is to say with the Liberals and the Greens.

So many statements that could surprise while the pressure on Armin Laschet in his movement as beyond is more and more unsustainable, reports our correspondent in Berlin

Pascal Thibaut

Stay in control

At the end, the president of the CDU evoked the search for a new direction of the Christian democrats which he proposes to animate.

One way like any other to show that he is ready to go, but still in control.

"

 What profile should the candidate for the presidency of the party have?"

Will we succeed this time in agreeing on a common solution to play our role in the opposition?

The base wants such a solution

.

"

Armin Laschet is held personally responsible for the worst electoral score (24.1%) ever achieved by the conservatives in the history of modern Germany.

The Rhenish had less than a year before gripped the head of Angela Merkel's party.

Will the man of consensus succeed by the CDU congress in a few weeks to find the man or the woman who will avoid the displayed divisions of the last three years?

The

historic defeat

suffered by the party in the last elections, the settling of scores to be expected and the multiple ambitions raise doubts that the succession of Armin Laschet will unfold smoothly.

Olaf Scholz wants a government "before Christmas"

At the end of the first round of their discussions on Thursday, the SPD, the Greens and the Liberals have decided to meet again on Monday for in-depth talks which will continue on Tuesday and then Friday with a view to forming a so-called "traffic light" coalition government (red of the SPD, green of the ecologists, yellow of the liberals, editor's note).

All of them repeat that they want to go quickly and thus avoid a long dreaded paralysis throughout Europe.

The leader of the SPD, Olaf Scholz, who would become chancellor in the event of an alliance, had assured on election night that he wanted a government " 

before Christmas

 ".

According to a Forsa poll published on Wednesday, 53% of Germans want a coalition between SPD, Greens and FDP, and 74% believe that the CDU-CSU should withdraw into the opposition. 

► See also: Germany: the Social Democrats will start negotiations to form a coalition

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