Friedrich Merz: Is still what?

Eight days, it is still up to the European elections and non – political professionals seems to be the least of your really noticed. The choice to fight back dribbles, more so the amount point-less, even in the case of the Union. The CDU and CSU led by a friendly, but widely unknown in Bavaria. Maybe it needs one that arrives at the base of this party well, and really can heat – such as Friedrich Merz. The led never has a campaign, except for themselves, but to bring the emotions of the CDU in a flash, he understood.

And he came. Saturday morning, an event space in the South of Jena. Thuringia: Here Merz was celebrated on his return to the policy last autumn, part frenetic. In three minutes he will speak together with CDU land chief Mike Mohring on Europe, as the presenter grabs the microphone: "Come a few steps forward," whispers directed from the stage to the audience. In fact, the space designed for several Hundred people, only a little more than half full. Scattered across all corners, it still looks empty. In the European election campaign helps seemingly not even a Merz to fill the halls.

a Little later, Merz has just started talking, a few stragglers are yet arrived at the bivouac and cluster-like in front of the stage – comes to mood. While Merz has said previously only that he finds Thuringia beautiful. Already applause breaks out. It is spooky how easy it is for the former head of the Union group still manages to have a audience to take.

the relationship of some of the East German CDU land associations to Merz ambivalent. The same way as CDU leader, Kramp-Karrenbauer, Annegret.

The cheers for Merz was and is large at the base. In the boardrooms of the country associations one suspects, however, that the thing that makes Merz so popular – can lead you to be quick with the mouth, and his love for the Pointe, is just as fast to Ruin: "Merz would have been here as CDU chief in the state election campaign, the pants pulled down," says a leading East-CDUler who wants to win in the fall of a state election. He knows, like many of his colleagues from Brandenburg, Thuringia and Saxony, which he has on his new Boss.

enthusiasm for Kramp-Karrenbauer not want to pay directly. This has set a friendly open-mindedness. Your Effort to distinguish the party a and the content of a good. In addition, you know your strategic skills. Kramp-Karrenbauer knows the party like no one else. She has proved that you can conduct election campaigns and win.

Almost-instead of Merz down had a playful race against Kramp-Karrenbauer also by the fact that he was at the Congress in Hamburg in early December, a Chancellor, speech to world political and from the top. While Kramp-Karrenbauer delivering your best speech, a very personal one. So seeing a few in the CDU.