Armin Laschet has not yet completely given up hope that a member survey about the future CDU chairman will not be necessary.
That would only come into consideration if it came to the "amicable" solution, i.e. if there was only one candidate.
Then it would "make less sense", as Laschet said after the meetings of the Presidium and Board of Directors, the members still - about what?
- to be questioned.
The decision in favor of the survey alone suggests that things will turn out differently.
Otherwise it would even more be said that the leadership was doing something for the party base.
The fact that this unlikely event was given a grace period until Saturday suggests that individual names who are already in the race are not met with undivided enthusiasm on the board.
In other words: the hope that speaks from Laschet relates to the fact that Norbert Röttgen is still not standing.
A team cannot be seen
Röttgen leaves no doubt that he wants to run without being outspoken. In doing so, he is directed against the tacit agreement that a "team solution" is being worked on, that is, that a favorite will gather several party leaders who do not yet, no longer or do not want to run at all. That would obviously come down to Friedrich Merz, who would certainly do well in a member survey. Röttgen's problem: a team grouped around him cannot be seen.
The twists and turns of this process, as Röttgen tries, to attribute contradictions in terms of content, falls short of the mark.
The distinction between a “liberal-conservative center” and a “modern center” seems a bit artificial.
Especially when you consider that it would make sense for a “team” to take all directions into account.
However, this solution does not promise one thing: a generation change, which Röttgen does not embody either.
But that would be a confident farewell to the Merkel era.
After two failed attempts to step out of its shadow, there would only be a transition for now.