Media: Merz will demand that his party members support his course on government spending

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, at a meeting of the presidium of the Christian Democratic Union he heads, will demand that fellow party members support his course of reducing government spending, the Bild newspaper writes.

The CDU Presidium will hold meetings on Sunday and Monday to analyze the reasons for the party's defeat in the last elections in Berlin and the federal states of Saxony-Anhalt and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.

“The Chancellor intends to obtain clear support from the prime ministers of the states and the presidium of the CDU for his course of budgetary savings,” the publication says.

According to the newspaper, at the meeting, the prime ministers of the federal states from the CDU will call on the chancellor to change his political course. Merz's party members will demand that they abandon the introduction of new taxes, take more decisive measures to expel migrants, toughen the fight against clan crime and anti-Semitism, and strengthen control over individuals who pose a threat to public safety. CDU members also oppose the carbon levy.

According to Bild, Merz plans to explain to the Christian Democrats that fulfilling their demands will cost tens of billions of euros, and such expenses cannot be financed. In addition, as the newspaper reports, the chancellor will demand that party members express unequivocal support for his leadership.

Bild clarifies that at the meeting, Christian Democrats will discuss the so-called firewall in relation to the opposition party Alternative for Germany, that is, the principle of boycotting its initiatives and excluding cooperation with it.

In Germany, elections were held in three federal states in September, as a result of which the CDU, which was part of the ruling bloc, was defeated. Thus, in the elections to the Landtag of Saxony-Anhalt held on September 6, the CDU received only 17.2% of support.