German Christian Democrats vote for Friedrich Merz as party chief

Berlin (dpa) – Germany’s Christian Democrats (CDU) have backed Friedrich Merz to become head of the centre-right party, replacing Armin Laschet, in what is likely to herald a rightward shift for the party.

Merz, a trained lawyer and businessperson, secured the necessary absolute majority in the election contested by Helge Braun and Norbert Roettgen, the party announced in Berlin on Friday.

Laschet stood down after the party, which has been the dominant force in a series of coalitions headed by former chancellor Angela Merkel over the past 16 years, performed poorly in the September elections.

The CDU, which has dominated German politics during the period since World War II, is now in in opposition, while a three-way coalition of Social Democrats (SPD), Greens and the pro-business Free Democrats has taken over.

Merz, who headed the CDU’s parliamentary group between 2000 and 2002 before being sidelined by Merkel, secured 62.1 per cent of the vote, CDU general secretary Paul Ziemiak said. Party members were able to vote for their new chairman for the first time, and two-thirds of the membership of some 400,000 made use of the opportunity.

Roettgen, a foreign affairs spokesman for the party, garnered 25.8 per cent, and Braun, who ran the chancellery for Merkel, 12.1 per cent.

The new party head still has to be officially elected by 1,001 delegates to a digital party conference to be held on January 21 and 22, but this is seen as a formality.

The party plunged to its worst post-war result in the September 26 elections, securing just 24.1 per cent of the national vote along with its Bavarian sister-party, the Christian Social Union (CSU).

Laschet immediately announced he was stepping down. Formerly premier of Germany’s largest state, North Rhine Westphalia, he is now a member of the national parliament and sits on the foreign affairs committee.

Roettgen and Merz contested the election to head the CDU early this year, but lost to Laschet. After Merkel stood down from the party leadership in late 2018, Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer took over.

Merz has appeal among conservative and right-wing CDU party members, having made a name for himself by championing Germany’s national identity and rejecting multiculturalism.

Merz initially abandoned politics in 2009, resigning his post as parliamentary party whip to pursue a business career after a CDU power struggle.

He held a number of private sector posts before returning to politics, including as chairman of the German arm of US investment giant BlackRock.