About: CDU
Germany’s Laschet, Merz join Merkel party leadership race
The premier of Germany's most populous state, Armin Laschet, joined the race to lead Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democrats (CDU) on Tuesday and won the backing of Health Minister Jens Spahn who had been expected to run himself. A third contender, Friedrich Merz, also announced his candidacy.
Crisis-ridden SPD wins state parliamentary elections in Hamburg
Voters in Hamburg gave the SPD one of their best election results in recent years in a regional election on Sunday (23 February). With 38,9% of the vote, Peter Tschentscher (SPD) will continue as the city’s mayor, while the Greens doubled their share of the vote to reach 24,4%. Chancellor Angela Merkel's CDU, however, performed poorly.
Hamburg elections, pose (another) crash test for Germany’s mainstream parties
Voters in the city state of Hamburg will elect their new parliament on 23 February, the first elections to take place after the Thuringian political turmoil broke out earlier this month. This is yet another test for Germany’s traditional parties that could seal the end of the country's traditional political landscape.
Pull yourselves together for EU’s sake, German Greens urge CDU
Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democrats (CDU), embroiled in a leadership crisis, must unite and keep their ruling coalition stable as Germany takes on the rotating European Union presidency this year, Greens leader Annalena Baerbock said on Saturday (15 February).
Huawei shouldn’t be getting its hopes up for German 5G expansion just yet
Although the CDU and CSU did not explicitly decide on the exclusion of Huawei, their position paper provided exclusion criteria that could nonetheless apply to the Chinese telecom giant. The ball is now in the court of the coalition partners, the Social Democratic Party (SPD). EURACTIV Germany reports.
CDU crisis puts question mark on German EU Presidency
As the new European Commission finally begins its work, it is Berlin's turn to come to a political standstill. It's a problem for Germany but also for the European Union.
Germany should be more Chinese – at least a bit
While China has shown it needs a few days to build a hospital, infrastructure projects in Germany are making no progress. But politicians from the conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU) now want to change this. EURACTIV's partner WirtschaftsWoche reports.
Kramp-Karrenbauer to step down as CDU leader
CDU party leader Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer is stepping down. Announced during the CDU executive committee meeting on Monday morning (10 February), she has immediately renounced her Chancellor candidacy and intends to give up her position as CDU chair soon.
New SPD leadership on its way to challenge Germany’s Grand Coalition
Germany's Social Democrats (SPD) officially elected Saskia Esken and Norbert Walter-Borjans as the new chairmen at a national conference on Friday (6 December). There was no vote about remaining in the Grand Coalition with the CDU/CSU conservatives, but the new leadership appears to have 'declared war' on them. EURACTIV Germany reports.
CDU politician calls for better Franco-German ties after NATO row
Germany and France must bury their differences and pursue a constructive partnership with concrete ideas, an ally of German Chancellor Angela Merkel said after a public spat between the two European Union heavyweights over NATO.
Merkel’s conservatives brace for stormy party congress
German Chancellor Angela Merkel's centre-right CDU braces for a tumultuous two-day party congress in Leipzig from Friday (22 November), with members smarting from recent local election drubbings and bickering over her successor.
Record numbers of young voters backed AfD in Thuringia state election
The state elections in Thuringia on Sunday (27 October) demonstrated how strong the AfD was among young people under 30, who voted in record numbers for the far-right party. Die Linke (the Left) came in second, while the Greens lagged far behind. EURACTIV's media partner Der Tagesspiegel reports.
Far-right AfD falls short of first place in both German state elections
Right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD) achieved historical gains in state elections in Saxony and Brandenburg but Chancellor Merkel’s CDU and its coalition partner SPD remain strongest political parties allowing current grand coalition to hold on until 2021.
German conservative boss warns coalition partners on Europe
The woman in pole position to succeed Angela Merkel as chancellor warned her junior coalition partners against blocking the appointment of a German to head the European Commission, saying this would put their coalition under "maximum strain".
#EU2019 – EU elections will put Merkel to the test
There is growing speculation in Germany that Chancellor Angela Merkel will not complete her mandate, which runs until 2021, if the current left-right “grand coalition” does not fare well in the EU election this Sunday.
Merkel’s preferred successor says won’t seek post before 2021
German Chancellor Angela Merkel's preferred successor, Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, said Sunday (12 May) that she would not seek the top job before Merkel's term ends in 2021.
Orban says Salvini is the most important politician in Europe
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has said the European Parliament's main centre-right group must forge an alliance with populist, nationalist groups after impending EU elections, receiving a swift rebuke from Germany's conservative leader.
Fidesz exclusion officially on EPP’s agenda for 20 March
Twelve national members of the centre-right European People's Party (EPP) have officially requested the exclusion of Hungary's populist Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and his party Fidesz, the EPP's leader said on Monday (4 March).
Critical mass building for motion to expel Orbán from EPP
A critical mass is likely to be reached within days to put the expulsion of Viktor Orbán’s Fidesz party from the centre-right European Peoples Party (EPP) to a vote. The decision could be taken ahead of a crucial meeting on 20 March.
CDU discussion workshop on migration and asylum: ‘What have we learnt?’
For new CDU party chair Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, reforming migration policy represents an opportunity to distance herself from Chancellor Angela Merkel. EURACTIV Germany reports.
With eyes on future Chancellorship, CDU elects Kramp-Karrenbauer as new chair
Germany's ruling CDU chose Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer as its new chairperson to replace Angela Merkel on Friday (7 December), in a move that raised some doubts about which path the country's biggest party aims to take to stave off challenges from the left and the right. EURACTIV Germany reports.
Which way forward for Merkel’s CDU?
The CDU is holding a vote today on who will take over its chair and will possibly be its candidate to German Chancellor one day. EURACTIV Germany gives an overview of how the three candidates could shape the part and therefore also the EU.
CDU elections smack of matricide
A knife-edge vote Friday (7 December) will determine Angela Merkel's successor as head of her party after 18 years at the helm, with the German chancellor's own political fate and legacy on the line.