In a move that has sparked controversy, the leader of the Christian Social Union (CSU), Markus Söder, has publicly endorsed the CDU’s candidate for Chancellor, Friedrich Merz, on his asylum policy, which has been criticized for being harsh and extreme. Söder, in an interview with the Rheinische Post, stated that the current migration policy in Germany is weak and ineffective and that the government’s inaction is allowing extremist parties to gain traction.
The CSU leader accused the current government of ignoring the concerns of the states and failing to take concrete action to address the issues of migration and asylum. He pointed to a series of violent attacks in Germany, including Aschaffenburg, which he claimed had not led to any significant changes in the government’s approach.
Söder also criticized the Chancellor, Olaf Scholz, for not taking decisive action to address the issues of migration and asylum and instead only speaking of being “betroffen” (concerned). The CSU leader called for a new era of decisiveness and action and pledged his full support to Friedrich Merz, who he believes is leading the way in this regard.
The move by Söder to endorse Merz’s asylum policy has been seen as a significant blow to the current government and has raised questions about the direction of the CDU and the CSU in the run-up to the federal elections.