Stuttgart. CSU leader Markus Söder has praised Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) for his foreign policy approach, calling him a diplomatic asset in relations with the U.S.
Markus Söder demands a 'fresh start' ahead of critical German state elections
Speaking at the CDU federal party conference in Stuttgart on Saturday, Söder declared Merz "our trump card with Trump," adding that the chancellor was bringing new hope and strength to Europe. The Bavarian minister-president further commended Merz's leadership, arguing that Germany needed a "compass" in uncertain times.
At the same time, Söder criticized the previous government's foreign policy under the traffic-light coalition, which he described as overly preachy and moralistic. He called for a stronger focus on advancing Europe's and Germany's interests. The CSU leader also took aim at the political left, accusing them of "anti-Americanism" and hypocrisy for now complaining about U.S. tariffs after having sabotaged the controversial TTIP free trade deal in the past.
Söder also highlighted the "close and excellent cooperation" with the CDU, praising unity within the conservative Union bloc. Looking ahead to the state elections in Rhineland-Palatinate and Baden-Württemberg in March, he called for a "fresh start," condemning the current coalitions. The "whole traffic-light nonsense" in Rhineland-Palatinate must end, he said, while in Baden-Württemberg, the conservative CDU should once again take precedence over the Greens. "That's the natural order of things," Söder asserted.
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