The facade of the Konrad Adenauer house, the headquarters of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party in Berlin, has undergone a modern transformation, now sporting bluish tones instead of the orange hues reminiscent of Angela Merkel’s era. However, beneath the surface, the situation remains starkly conservative. Few people address Friedrich Merz, the party’s head and chancellor candidate, in an informal manner, and nobody dares to slack off. This is a standard that Merz demands not only for himself and his colleagues but also for citizens. A case in point is the “Bürgergeld,” a form of citizen aid that Merz intends to abolish after the elections, as he has consistently emphasized throughout his campaign. The party’s stance is clear: one should not be rewarded for nothing, and those capable of working must do so.
Merz’s mantra is that, given the economic crisis, people must work more, not less. He expects discipline from his employees and himself, a trait that has become evident since he began presiding over the parliamentary group in the Bundestag. Sessions now conclude before schedule, and the endless debates that characterized Ralph Brinkhaus’s leadership are a thing of the past. Merz clarifies contentious points in advance, streamlining the process.
Merz’s potential ascension to the Foreign Ministry has sparked curiosity within the party regarding how his leadership style will be received in the future executive. Despite his decades-long career in politics, Merz lacks experience in directing any cabinet. His profile is quintessentially CDU: a lawyer, Catholic, married with three children. However, his career took a hit in his forties when Angela Merkel, a woman who didn’t fit the party’s traditional mold, took the reins. Merkel, an East German woman without children, led the party, prompting Merz to step back from the political scene and venture into the business world.
Merz’s self-description as middle-high class in an interview drew criticism, but he remained characteristically detached. It wasn’t until Merkel announced her resignation that Merz returned to the political stage, becoming the party’s president in his third attempt. Now in his sixties, Merz may follow in Merkel’s footsteps and become chancellor, but he rarely invokes his predecessor in public. Under his command, the CDU has taken a step back, embracing a more conservative profile and focusing on liberal economic policies and a harder stance on immigration.
The CDU under Merz has a distinctly masculine face, with Carsten Linnemann, Thorsten Frei, and Jens Spahn being the other prominent figures. While Merz assures that he won’t hinder women’s access to positions of power, they are rarely heard from. When asked if he would ensure an equal gender balance in his cabinet, Merz responded without hesitation that it’s “not necessarily” a priority, emphasizing the importance of “really good technical knowledge” instead. It will be interesting to see how many women in the party are deemed competent enough to assume ministerial positions. Angela Merkel, who has proven herself as a capable chancellor, has refused to campaign for Merz, further complicating the party’s dynamics.
