The chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee in the Bundestag, Norbert Röttgen , has announced his candidacy for the successor of CDU leader Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer . He is the fourth politician from North Rhine-Westphalia to be considered a candidate for the CDU chairmanship . The other prospective applicants are Friedrich Merz , Armin Laschet and Jens Spahn.

"It is about the future of the CDU and it is about the Christian Democratic idea of ​​the future," said Röttgen to the reason. The party must not repeat the mistakes made by the SPD to wear out one party leader after the other without defining “a social democratic idea of ​​the future”. That is why the CDU is now not just talking about personnel decisions, but also about reorganizing the content.

It had to be clarified how to deal with the growing right-wing populists and extremists. "Fear is the business of the AfD," said Röttgen.

He pointed out that, in his view, the financial crisis, currency crisis and the refugee crisis had led to a loss of confidence. Politicians must now ensure "that citizens feel protected, accepted and taken seriously again".

Röttgen indicates that he is preparing for a fight vote in the CDU

The CDU needed a strategic realignment. This would ensure that the party "secured over 30 percent again". He criticized the previous search for candidates, in which the aspirants around the party presidency agree on the distribution of power. "The process did not convince me." This was "a bit like a jacket - if you button wrong on the first button, it won't work," he said.

He also indicated that he was preparing for a fight vote. When asked about his chances, Röttgen pointed out that in the end the delegates of a party conference had to decide. It is about who can best lead the CDU into the future. "I like going to this competition."

Röttgen also spoke in favor of Chancellor Angela Merkel remaining in office until the end of the legislative period in the coming year. "Merkel has been elected and, in my opinion and will, will remain Chancellor until the end of the legislative period." The Union's candidate for chancellor should then be set up by the end of the year.

"There is no future competence without ecological competence"

Röttgen also campaigned for the CDU to be more concerned with climate protection. "The CDU could lose an entire generation," he warned.

His party must not only use climate protection tactically, but must make the topic an honest concern of its own. "Without ecological competence, there is no future competence," he said.

The CDU leadership is currently trying to find a friendly solution with the three previous potential candidates. Kramp-Karrenbauer is planning talks with Merz, Spahn and Laschet. With Röttgen's candidacy, a battle vote now appears possible .