CDU Party Congress Confirms Linnemann with Good Result as General Secretary - CDU re-elects Merz and Linnemann, doubling down on reform demands
The CDU federal party conference has overwhelmingly re-elected Carsten Linnemann as general secretary, though with a slightly lower margin than in his previous vote. Linnemann secured 90.5 percent of delegates' support in Friday's election in Stuttgart—down from the 91.4 percent he received two years ago. Earlier, the CDU delegates had reaffirmed Friedrich Merz as party leader with 91.2 percent of the vote.
Addressing the conference, Linnemann called for "genuine structural reforms" this year and firmly rejected the SPD's proposals for higher taxes. He warned that the governing coalition "must not even consider taking on more debt or tapping new tax sources just to paper over structural problems and kick the can down the road." Speaking in Stuttgart, the general secretary emphasized that now was the time for action.
"This is the moment for reform," Linnemann declared. He noted that several government-appointed commissions tasked with overhauling the welfare state are set to deliver their recommendations this year, leaving "no more room to dodge the issue." He urged his party to "step up, take responsibility, and push through the structural reforms Germany needs."
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