The departure of former Cologne Mayor Fritz Schramma from the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) after nearly five decades of membership marks a significant and unusually blunt critique of the party’s internal dynamics, particularly within the Cologne regional chapter. Schramma’s resignation, announced in Tuesday’s edition of the “Kölnische Rundschau”, throws a spotlight on a growing rift between established party leadership and burgeoning discontent within the ranks.
While Schramma affirmed his continued alignment with the core values championed by the CDU at the state and national levels – citing the leadership of North Rhine-Westphalia’s Minister-President Hendrik Wüst and national party leader Friedrich Merz as evidence of competent governance – he pointedly condemned the leadership’s response to recent electoral setbacks. The CDU suffered significant losses in the recent municipal elections, prompting Schramma to express his frustration over what he described as a lack of meaningful change within the Cologne branch.
Specifically, Schramma criticized the immediate re-appointment of existing leaders to key faction positions in the aftermath of the election. He characterized these actions as indicative of an entrenched leadership prioritizing personal power and influence rather than addressing the reasons behind the electoral defeat. “It looks to me as if certain people are only securing their positions” he stated, further suggesting a stagnation in the party’s approach to strategy and voter engagement.
His criticisms extended to Serap Güler, the Bundestag representative and chairwoman of the Cologne regional branch, whom Schramma declared the party was “not being led”. He framed his departure as a deliberate appeal for a new direction, emphasizing the urgent need for younger members to take a leading role in revitalizing the party’s image and regaining lost ground.
The timing of Schramma’s exit, a respected figure within the party, underscores a deepening concern about the CDU’s ability to reconnect with its electorate and adapt to evolving political landscapes. His comments highlight a growing tension – the disconnect between the image of competence projected at the national level and the realities of regional party management, potentially signalling broader issues within the CDU’s internal power structure and its capacity for genuine renewal. The resignation therefore serves as a stark warning and demands a serious introspection within the Cologne CDU and across the party as a whole.