CDU’s Linnemann Cites Attractiveness Issue in Party’s Female Shortfall
The CDU’s General Secretary, Carsten Linnemann, has described the party’s lack of women as an attractiveness problem for the Christian Democrats, led by Chancellor Friedrich Merz. Speaking to the “Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland”, Linnemann emphasized the need to motivate women within the party to take on political responsibility and leadership roles. He lamented that the Bundestag faction currently has only 23 percent female representation, which he deemed “no good advertising for the party”. However, he noted that a change in mindset has already begun.
Linnemann also criticized the lack of women in top leadership positions, citing the absence of a female candidate for the party chair, faction leader, parliamentary group leader and general secretary. He pointed out that the CDU has strong female leaders, such as Julia Klöckner, Karin Prien, Katherina Reiche, Nina Warken, Ina Scharrenbach, Christina Stumpp, Serap Güler, Franziska Hoppermann and Ines Claus and argued that it would be unfair to overlook them.
Linnemann will be speaking at the CDU’s federal women’s conference in Reutlingen on Saturday, alongside the party’s vice chair, Family Minister Karin Prien, who had previously described the party’s female shortfall as “bitter”. Annette Widmann-Mauz, who has held the position of general secretary for ten years, will not be seeking re-election.