CSU boss at Junger UnionSöder fired the coalition’s last bullet
Merz was unable to change Junge Union’s mind. Spahn couldn’t change his mind. This morning, CSU boss Markus Söder was trying it out. The Bavarian Prime Minister is deploying all his rhetorical skills to balance the pension dispute – with at least some success.
AC/DC echoed through the halls at Europapark Rust when Markus Söder appeared. “Back in Black” is the title, it has that effect different rather than the usual techno music played by Junge Union, and like an acoustic red carpet for the Bavarian Prime Minister and CSU bosses.
Söder was the last prominent speaker at the Junge Union’s German Day, which was already historic – as the weekend when CDU leader and Chancellor Friedrich Merz lost the hearts of the party’s youth. They came to him a year ago.
“Back in Black”, that is the hope that connects Junge Union with Merz. After the Merkel era, the CDU must return to the black, that is, return to the old values. Finally the CDU is pure again. Everything has been explained many times.
And now? Did Junge Union wake up to Chancellor Merz who, from their point of view, made a compromise with the SPD and no longer played conservative hard rock, but instead sang softened SPD popular songs from Lars Klingbeil and Bärbel Bas about faster pension increases. Meanwhile the young men and women of Junge Union may feel like they are on the “highway to hell”. Instead of headbanging, they shook their heads in disappointment. Disappointed and angry.
Why go through it all again?
However, Merz couldn’t take them out of the fray with his performance on Saturday. Jens Spahn on Saturday night also offered only further discussion. But what is it actually about? If it is clear that nothing has changed in the retirement package – then why repeat everything again?
So now Soder. He once described the black-red coalition as “democracy’s last defenders.” Now he was the coalition’s last defender – he, of all people, who was just waiting for the next shot against Merz, had to make sure that the youth heard the shot. That he realized that he was in the process of driving the entire coalition into the wall and that there was nothing better after that than a very expensive retirement package.
Good news for the coalition and especially for Merz: That’s what Söder tried to do and at least partially succeeded. Even if, with his mother’s pension, he has what it takes to be Darth Vader in Junge Union. JU boss Johannes Winkel said before the show that the atmosphere was good. “But what is important is what the mood is after the discussion, as we saw yesterday.” He was referring to the somewhat muted response to the conversation with Merz.
But Söder can talk and they really like him in the Junge Union – he can gossip about the Green Party like no other. He, who had just drawn up a balanced budget in Bavaria, retired mother or not.
Side swipe at Merz – no problem for Söder
Söder knew this and spent the first part of his speech patting the souls of young people. “Respect your appearance,” he told Winkel and Pascal Reddig, chairman of the Young Group in the Bundestag – 18 lawmakers under the age of 35 who are not prepared to vote on a pension package that will cost almost 120 billion euros more in 2040 than the current law.
It should not be difficult for Söder, Merz’s old rival, to attack the CDU leader. “You have been very constructive over the last few weeks,” praised Söder – Merz even accused the children of doing the opposite. Or: “If we view everything as lese majeste, we will not succeed.” Or: “Let’s consider giving money to create new jobs rather than just subsidizing old industries.” That’s what Merz wants.
But Söder also said: “I ask for your understanding, I definitely did not stab Friedrich Merz or Jens Spahn in the back. Friedrich Merz also had to keep the coalition together.”
The day before, Merz tried to use arguments to change Junge Union’s mind. He doubts pension reform will cost that much. Before then, the pension commission could put the system on a new footing, he said Saturday. What young people don’t believe in him, as Winkel explained once again on Sunday. If the Pensions Commission is going to provide “good advice” after pension reform, Winkel asked, “why did we decide?”
Söder tried something different. He entered the debate to reject fantasies about a minority government or even cooperation with the AfD. “I know there are some people who hope or think whether a minority government would be better,” Söder said in a confident voice. “I can only tell you: Minority government seems liberating at first glance, it also gives you more ground at the start, which always means opportunities and hope, but in the end it leaves you with almost nothing in the end.” This was “no different than in Weimar” and “a precursor to the radicals. And it must not happen to us!”
So Söder continued. “There are some people who hope we can work with them,” he said. He used the former Federal Chancellor of Austria, Sebastian Kurz, as a key witness. “Sebastian kept saying: ‘Maybe programmatically one of the ways is easier and faster. But week after week you have bad phenomena, developments from people very far from us.’ Soon he shouted: “These are right-wing extremists!” Right-wing extremists who prefer Russia, are not patriots, but “traitors”.
In the end he gave some advice to the delegates. “I can only convey the German Day signal, and let it sink in a little, I think everyone present here understands it.” Including Merz. “We have to see together how we deal with it and find a solution,” he said at the end. And suddenly he seems like the trusted teacher of the rebellious class, who might be able to convince them to give up their rebellion.
But it’s also possible. However, the divisions between the government and pension fund opponents did not become any shallower this weekend. On the contrary.
