CDU re-elects Carsten Linnemann as secretary-general with overwhelming 90% support

A landslide victory cements Linnemann's role in the CDU. With 90% backing, the party signals unity—but what's next for Germany's opposition?

, and Administrator

2026 April 15 . 6:02 PM

1 min read

The image shows a group of people sitting in chairs in front of a crowd of people, some of whom are... — The image shows a group of people sitting in chairs in front of a crowd of people, some of whom are holding cameras. There are banners with text and images in the background, as well as pillars, railings, windows, and a wall. At the center of the image is a podium with a microphone, indicating that this is a press conference for the CDMX 2017 event.

CDU Party Conference in Stuttgart

CDU confirms General Secretary Linnemann with large majority - CDU re-elects Carsten Linnemann as secretary-general with overwhelming 90% support

It was a vote of confidence for one of Friedrich Merz's closest allies: Delegates in Stuttgart praised the commitment of the party's top manager.

Germany's Christian Democratic Union (CDU) overwhelmingly re-elected Carsten Linnemann as secretary-general, following the confirmation of party leader Friedrich Merz. The 48-year-old member of the Bundestag from North Rhine-Westphalia, nominated by Merz, secured 864 votes. Ninety-one delegates voted against him, while 14 abstained. Unlike other parties, the CDU does not count abstentions in its official tally, resulting in a 90.47 percent approval rate. Including abstentions, the figure stands at 89.16 percent.

Christina Stumpp, a Bundestag member from Baden-Württemberg, was re-elected as deputy secretary-general, while Franziska Hoppermann, a Hamburg lawmaker, will continue to serve as treasurer.