Does the Chancellor have the strength to hold his coalition together? Sandra Maischberger from the government cabinet asked Minister of State for Culture Wolfram Weimer about this in her ARD talk. The 61-year-old demonstratively stood behind Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) and defended his work against the current mood of crisis and ongoing criticism.
Merz keeps getting hit with this publicly from within his own party. Accordingly, it is expected that the upcoming election of a candidate for Federal President will now be a test of strength for the Chancellor. The ten-year term of office of Frank-Walter Steinmeier (SPD) ends in March 2027 - the Federal Assembly will elect the new German head of state on January 30th. Chancellor and CDU party leader Merz recently spoke out in favor of a woman in the highest office in the state, but without mentioning any specific details.
“I think that’s very good,” said Minister of State for Culture Weimer at Maischberger, supporting the Chancellor. Merz had been thinking about a woman in the highest office for a long time, but had not said it publicly. “He was always in favor of now being the time – after twelve men in this office – for a woman to come.” Weimer pointed out that this time it was the Union's turn to nominate someone for office and that it had “great candidates” anyway.
However, this is potentially explosive within the Union. Because the sister party CSU has already committed to Ilse Aigner, the former Federal Minister of Agriculture. CSU leader Markus Söder campaigned aggressively for them at the party conference in Munich. But Chancellor Friedrich Merz insists on the CDU's right to make proposals. The list of potential candidates currently only includes CDU politicians, including Bundestag President Julia Klöckner and Education Minister Karin Prien as well as Ines Claus, leader of the Hesse parliamentary group.
Weimer announced the publication of the name for next Monday - after a dinner of the "Union's decision-makers" on Sunday and the subsequent executive committee meeting. “We can be patient for a few more days and then we’ll know,” said the former WELT editor-in-chief and “Cicero” magazine founder.
Weimer outlined the requirements profile for the first female Federal President as follows: It must be a personality of integrity who experiences acceptance and necessarily has experience in politics because “times are no longer as peaceful” as they once were. She also has to come from the middle of society. However, the person does not need to be well known among the population at this point in time. Weimer recalled Horst Köhler, who was also hardly known to the general public before his election as Federal President.
Massive allegations within the coalition
The Bärbel Bas case revealed that, in addition to the internal party criticism of the Chancellor, there are also massive allegations within the coalition. When she resigned as Labor Minister in October, the SPD politician criticized personal attacks and a targeted political campaign by her coalition partner Union.
Weimer tried to dispel this impression of the coalition from Maischberger and gave a deeper insight into the cabinet: “From my point of view, this government is really harmonious in terms of personal interaction.” The relationship between Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul (CDU) and Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) is “almost friendly”. And even Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt (CSU) and Justice Minister Stefanie Hubig (SPD) - politically far apart - share a relationship of trust. It was similar between Karin Prien and Bas, says Weimer. "The tone was never unfair or backwards. That's not the government's problem."
After seven lean years without an upswing, there are undoubtedly problems. “The real problem lies in the open finding: Germany is having difficult times.” A lack of economic growth and the war in Ukraine right on our doorstep created a “climate of collective fear.” The mood is not cheerful, the problem is serious. As part of this same government, Weimer took his own coalition to task: “This is also the moment when the center has to step up and show that it can solve problems.”
Chancellor Merz certainly has the support of his party, parliamentary group and coalition, Weimer said. There is planned government action every week - “but too slow than expected”. To explain the economic stagnation, the Minister of State for Culture tried to cite an external crisis: There would probably have been “a much clearer upswing if the Iran War hadn’t intervened.”
Meanwhile, Weimer declared the Chancellor's lack of charisma to be a virtue in the crisis: Friedrich Merz is simply not the man to throw confetti in the air and go to the carnival meeting. But there is no need for such a chancellor. "We now need a chancellor who will regulate, order and clarify things. And then we can talk about it again in two years."
“Axis break in the moral integrity of the Republic”
Wolfram Weimer saw increasing polarization as a major danger for Germany. The country is in danger of falling apart if federal states like Saxony-Anhalt slide to the extreme right or cities like Berlin slide to the extreme left. He drew a dark historical parallel: After seven economically weak years and in view of the challenges such as the current reforms in work, pensions and health, the question arises, said Weimer: "Is the nation, like 100 years ago, throwing itself at the feet of some extremes?" Instead, reason must prevail and the country must be rehabilitated from the center, said the Minister of State for Culture.
Weimer then specified his criticism of the government plans of the Left and the SPD in the Berlin town hall: “I consider this to be a broken axis in the moral integrity of the republic.” Such an alliance would be a massive burden for the federal coalition, after all, the Berlin Left is more extreme than the federal party. Weimer referred to the coalition agreement, which stipulates that extremism must be combated and that no alliances be entered into at any level. The Berlin SPD does not necessarily have to form a coalition with the left, said Weimer. If they do, the damage will also be immense in the federal coalition.
Despite all the crisis scenarios, Weimer firmly expects a black-red federal government to continue to function and closed the interview with a bold vision: "There will be an upswing, there may be peace. And in the end in a year you will say: Oh, maybe Merz wasn't that bad."
