Söder rejects replacement of chancellor and emphasizes cohesion in the Union

CSU boss Markus Söder has rejected speculation about a replacement for Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) in the current legislative period. “I think we in the Union would do well to stand together and not let the AfD tear us apart,” Söder told Bild am Sonntag. He completely ruled out replacing the Chancellor for his party: "Absolutely not from the CSU."

Despite increasing criticism of the Chancellor - including from Union politicians - Söder assured that Merz was still the right person to lead the government. At the moment, he sees “a serious slump in his sister party, perhaps the most severe one you can imagine.” However, that is no reason to give up.

If Merz were to be replaced, his successor would be faced with the same problems, Söder continued: "No matter who would step in immediately if you went through the alternatives, they would first have to deal with the same problems - with an SPD that is having difficulty with reforms." It was "a bad signal" that "after this election result, the SPD suddenly starts to question everything," he criticized the Social Democrats.

CSU leadership meets on Sunday to discuss the situation

This Sunday evening, the CSU board wants to discuss the political situation at the start of a two-day closed meeting. CSU boss Söder receives the Saxon Prime Minister Michael Kretschmer (CDU) in the Bavarian capital Munich. It will also be about the AfD's victory in Saxony-Anhalt a week ago. On Monday, the Austrian Chancellor and ÖVP chairman Christian Stocker is coming to Bavaria.

With his most recent statements, Söder also rejects speculation that he could run as Chancellor himself and replace Merz. In the past, the CSU leader had repeatedly stated that he could imagine the office of Chancellor. However, in July, when asked by Handelsblatt whether he would be available as a candidate for chancellor again, he said that this chapter was closed: "The question does not arise today - and it will not arise again in the future either."

Nevertheless, Söder is currently occasionally associated with a possible successor to Merz in the German media - just like Hendrik Wüst (CDU), the Prime Minister of North Rhine-Westphalia.