A senior official of Germany’s Christian Democratic Union (CDU) has found a way to balance his role outside the cabinet with his relationship with the Chancellor, he said in an interview.
Carsten Linnemann, the CDU’s general secretary, emphasized the importance of the party’s independence from the government. “The Konrad-Adenauer-Haus must not be the press spokesperson of the federal government, but must remain independent” he stated. Linnemann acknowledged that there may be disagreements with the party’s leader, Friedrich Merz, but believed that the relationship must be endured.
In the interview with Politico, Linnemann discussed his role in the coalition negotiations, saying that he was part of the solution and the project of the political change. He expressed his satisfaction in being able to contribute to the process and being in charge of it. Linnemann also reflected on his personal goal of holding a ministerial position, stating that he had not achieved it and that his target was “30 plus X”.
The CDU official described the relationship between the government and the party as a delicate balance, which must be mastered. He pointed out that the party’s leader, Merz, was aware that the party’s past practices, when in power, may not have always been correct. Linnemann believed that the party’s independence was crucial and that the party’s leader would sometimes intervene, saying “stop, that’s my party, the general secretary has gone too far.”
Linnemann also highlighted the challenges of being a governing party, saying that it was easier to be an opposition party and that he had not achieved his personal goal. He described his personal relationship with Merz as close, stating that they had a weekly to bi-weekly personal meeting and more phone calls.