German CDU’s Secretary General Carsten Linnemann has reaffirmed the party’s stance on a potential five-point migration plan proposed by the CDU’s chancellor candidate, Friedrich Merz, in the event of a government formation after the federal election.
“We’re not going back, on the contrary” Linnemann said in an interview with RTL and ntv on Monday. “We stood by our convictions in the German Bundestag two weeks ago and we didn’t let ourselves be pressured by the SPD, who were only using the issue as a campaign theme. And by doing so, we’ve proven that it’s a matter of substance for us” the secretary general added.
Achieving an agreement with the Greens would likely be challenging, Linnemann stated. “I find it hard to imagine how we could find common ground with the Greens on the issue of migration. There is no politics, in my view; I’m talking about a political shift. If that shift doesn’t happen, we can’t govern. I’m clear on that point.”
When asked about the potential consequences if the CDU fails to assert its stance on the issue, Linnemann declined to comment, focusing instead on his goal of winning the election. “I’m not discussing what if; I want a strong CDU that can enter the 30s in the polls and at the ballot box, not just in the polls. And then I can agree to a political shift, but not otherwise.