Markus Söder faces a tighter leadership vote at CSU’s pivotal Munich conference
The CSU party conference in Munich begins this Friday with a vote on Markus Söder’s leadership. Delegates will decide whether to re-elect him as party leader for another term. This time, however, his approval rating may fall short of the near-unanimous 96% he received last round.
The event will also address several policy proposals, from national anthems in schools to traffic regulations. Yet the focus remains on unity—both within the CSU and with its federal ally, the CDU.
Söder has positioned himself as one of the CSU’s most cooperative leaders, openly backing CDU chief Friedrich Merz. His goal for the conference is clear: to project total harmony between the two parties. Merz’s keynote speech on Saturday is unlikely to stir controversy, as divisive topics have been deliberately excluded from the agenda.
Key executive roles will see no contested elections. All five deputy chairpersons are set to retain their posts, though the conference materials do not confirm whether they will keep their existing offices. Instead, debates may arise from proposals like the Young Union’s call to relax nighttime noise restrictions in city centres or the Women’s Union’s push to adopt the Nordic model of prostitution regulation.
Policy discussions will cover a range of issues, including mandatory national anthems at school graduations and a ban on truck overtaking on two-lane highways. A central motion on local elections also demands major cuts to bureaucracy in social welfare administration.
While Söder’s re-election appears certain, insiders suggest his approval margin will shrink. The outcome will signal how strongly the party still backs his leadership—and his approach to working with the CDU.
The conference will close with a renewed emphasis on CSU-CDU cooperation. Söder’s leadership, though secure, faces a slightly cooler reception than before. Meanwhile, the party’s policy decisions—from welfare reforms to traffic rules—will shape its direction in the coming months. Delegates leave Munich with a clearer picture of the CSU’s priorities and its stance alongside the CDU.
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