Norbert Röttgen, a member of the Bundestag, wants to become the new CDU chairman. The 56-year-old foreign policy expert announced his candidacy to succeed party leader Armin Laschet in Berlin on Friday. The former environment minister said in Berlin on Friday that he was running "in the deep conviction that there is no more going on like this" and that he could bring about a "renewal of the content" of the CDU. In January, Röttgen failed with his first candidacy for the party chairmanship: at the federal party congress, he was defeated by Armin Laschet and Friedrich Merz in the first voting round.
Röttgen announced that if he was elected, he would propose the 39-year-old member of the Bundestag Franziska Hoppenstedt from Hamburg as Secretary General.
"She is a personality who is intellectually, organizationally and communicatively capable of performing this outstanding office," said Röttgen.
He sees his most important task in maintaining the CDU's status as a people's party.
"The center, that is the location for the CDU," said Röttgen.
“This location must be expressed in the person of the chairman.” Above all, the CDU must “bring back votes in the middle”.
The application period for the CDU chairman candidate runs until Wednesday next week.
To do this, you need the support of a regional or regional association.
Chancellery Minister Helge Braun has already identified himself as a candidate;
he is to be officially nominated by his home district association Gießen on Friday evening.
Another likely candidate is Merz, who has so far remained covered.
A membership decision on the candidates is to take place in December.
If no candidate receives an absolute majority, a casting vote is planned for the base.
The new party leader is to be officially elected to office at a party congress on January 21st and 22nd in Hanover.