Sometimes in politics every word matters. But sometimes what is not said is more important.
The Chancellor is greeted with polite applause at the CSU party conference. Musically, “Eye of the Tiger” by Survivor plays, an anthem for perseverance and fighting spirit. Don't lose sight of the goal, finally get it done now, is the CSU's musical warning to the Chancellor. The reforms must be implemented more quickly and the Union must assert itself more clearly in the SPD.
Friedrich Merz addresses all of this in his hour-long speech at the party conference. Foreign policy, economics, more and more startups in Germany, the fight against the political fringes. In the end there was almost a promise that the electricity tax would be reduced for everyone “if at all possible”.
But about the possible candidacy of the Bavarian state parliament president Ilse Aigner for the office of federal president: not a word.
Standing ovation for a welcome
The only signal - the special moment at this party conference - comes before Merz's speech. Merz and Aigner know each other well and are also connected privately. The Merz family's holiday home on Tegernsee is in the Aigner district.
Before the Chancellor goes on stage, Merz greets the President of the Bavarian State Parliament with a hug. When the Chancellor then came to the lectern, he first greeted CSU leader Markus Söder, followed immediately by Aigner. And the room reacts immediately. There's a big round of applause, the delegates stand up, a standing ovation, big cheers. This is the signal the CSU has been waiting for. Aigner seems to feel the same way, she stands up and waves into the hall. It almost seems like an honor.
Merz does not mention the name Aigner
But the Chancellor says nothing further; in his entire speech there is not a word about the open question of the president. He doesn't mention Aigner's name, nor any of the other possible candidates. The Chancellor remains silent on the subject of the Federal President.
Behind the scenes we hear that the Chancellor is under pressure. "Merz is not in a position now - after losing the elections and the still faltering reforms - to step in front of his CDU and say: I'll give the post of Federal President to the CSU," CSU people fear. The CDU women are using their influence to ensure that a woman from their ranks has to be chosen. One even hears: It is more likely to be a CDU man than a CSU woman. In any case, the larger Union party has the right of access.
Party conference is more appearance than reality for the Union
And so the party conference, at which both Söder and Merz emphasize the solidarity between the sister parties CDU and CSU, is more appearance than reality for the Union. When it comes to the highest office in the state, each party is closest to itself.
After the party conference, Söder said in the report from Berlin: "It's not about haggling for positions. We have an offer, a personality who is completely undisputed as having the democratic, personal and character suitability for the office." The anger at the Chancellor's silence and the CDU's failure to name possible alternative candidates is clear. With Söder, but also with many delegates. And so the CSU party conference's clear commitment to Ilse Aigner becomes a further power-political test for the Chancellor.
However, Söder can only win. If he can get his way with Aigner becoming president, the CSU boss will show his assertiveness in the federal government and also get rid of a competitor in Bavaria. If Aigner does not become Federal President, this will allow Söder to succeed Merz as Chancellor. Because two CSU people at the head of the republic, as Federal Chancellor and as Federal President, that would definitely be too much Bavarian influence from the CDU's point of view.
