The CDU is set to emphasize an Eastern concept in its election campaign, aiming to win over voters with a promise to host the 2040 Summer Olympics in Germany, marking the 50th anniversary of the country’s reunification.
According to a concept reported by the Politico news magazine, the party plans to turn Eastern Germany into the central hub for the summer games, turning the event into a celebration of unity and peace.
CDU leader Friedrich Merz is scheduled to appear in Potsdam and Halle (Saale) on Tuesday, with the party’s eastern regional branches advocating for a “new start for the East”.
The concept highlights the progress made in many areas of life in Eastern Germany, citing former Chancellor Helmut Kohl’s vision of “blooming landscapes” in the region. However, the party emphasizes that the key to further development lies in creating globally competitive jobs with good wages in Eastern Germany, thereby halting the exodus of skilled workers and continuing the “innovation path in Eastern Germany”.
The CDU proposes to ease the process of establishing new businesses in economically weaker regions, suggesting faster approvals, flexibility and a differentiated support system to address economic disparities. The party also plans to introduce a “founder’s BAfoG” to make it easier for innovative start-ups to become self-sufficient.
Furthermore, the CDU aims to improve transportation links to neighboring countries, with a goal of reaching an agreement with Poland and the Czech Republic in the first months of the new government to rapidly develop the road and rail network to Eastern and Central European neighbors.