Rust – Potential uproar in the Chancellor’s speech on Saturday: On Friday evening, CDU General Secretary Carsten Linnemann tested the waters on Junge Union’s “German Day” – and completely ignored the huge controversy over pensions. Instead, he railed against the AfD. And most importantly, he targeted party leaders.
Alice Weidel (46) couldn’t name three things she loved about this country, Linnemann said in her speech. The AfD is a “doomsday party”. Linnemann: “I’m sure they would be happy if the situation got worse.”
▶︎ However, he also has to admit: Not everything is going well in Germany. Linnemann identified five things that governments need to improve: taxes, skilled workers, energy, bureaucracy (“documentation requirements are nothing more than a vote of no confidence in citizens”) and social security. Linnemann avoided a major pension rebellion.
The meeting at the Europa-Park in Rust (Baden-Württemberg) was under the sign of a pension revolt: CDU youth were dissatisfied with the federal government’s pension package, warning of an additional billions in burden for young employees and taxpayers – and threatened to withhold approval in the Bundestag.
JU boss Johannes Winkel (34): There was almost a minute and a half of applause for one sentence from him
The extent of the displeasure was demonstrated by the fact that JU leader Johannes Winkel was applauded for almost a minute and a half for the sentence: “A pension package with a follow-on cost of 120 billion euros – outside the coalition agreement – should not happen in these circumstances.”
Young Union demands a strong statement from Merz
One thing is clear: the reception to the Merz could be frosty on Saturday. In every corner of the republic, society froze during the Merz election campaign, the JU leader said in his speech. “Without Junge Union, there is no party chairman. Without a party chairman, there is no chancellor.” Explosion!
▶︎ Kevin Gniosdorz, leader of the Junge Union of North Rhine-Westphalia state, put it more diplomatically when asked by BILD: “The chancellor will be received positively by us – how he is confirmed is in his own hands. He has to deliver.”
So it’s no surprise that Linnemann didn’t even open the retirement barrel that night. He is popular among the party’s youth. Many people here see the Eastphalian as an honest conservative, someone who doesn’t bend. “Carsten can say whatever he wants – we celebrate him here anyway,” said a high-level delegate at BILD.
In return, the CDU general announced that he would stay longer during the evening.
