Carsten Linnemann, the Bundestag’s CDU secretary‑general, told the “Stern” that party leader Friedrich Merz is “the best‑placed for a long‑term political career”. He cited Merz’s own words – that his father lives past a hundred and his mother just under that age – as evidence that the former finance minister inherits the longevity genes for a prolonged stint in politics.
Merz, who is 70, plans to run again for the party’s top position at the CDU federal convention later this week. Linnemann considers a debate about a fresh chancellor candidacy premature, replying that “the question simply isn’t on the table in 2026”.
When asked about one of Merz’s potential rivals, Linnemann lightened the conversation: “I’m always pleased when Markus Söder joins our meetings. It brings a bit of fun into the room” he said. He added that this levity, he believes, is generally beneficial for politics.