In the CDU/CSU one is needed “serious reflection” what to do, after the Christian Democrats remained outside the state parliament of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, a “historic turning point”, because never before had the centre-right party failed to conquer not even a seat in a state House. We cannot continue with “business as usual”, as if nothing had happened: government action must produce “real” and “visible” results. The CDU MEP tells Adnkronos Marie-Sophie Christone of the youngest parliamentarians in the Strasbourg Chamber (she is 31 years old). In his home state, Baden-Wuerttemberg, he is responsible for his party for digital issues.
For Christ, defeat it cannot be attributed only to Chancellor Friedrich Merz: “These results – he states – cannot be traced back to a single individual. They reflect a wider loss of trust in the ability of established parties, and in particular the CDU, to understand people’s concerns and solve the country’s problems. The political leadership, however – he adds – has a particular responsibility“.
“People now – continues Christ – expect one honest evaluationclear consequences and tangible results. For the first time since its founding, the CDU failed to gain representation in a German state parliament. This alone makes yesterday’s election a historical turning pointwhich requires serious reflection and which cannot simply be followed by a ‘business as usual’ approach. The days of thinking we simply need to explain our policies better are over. Trust will only return if we deliver real and visible improvements.”
‘Coalition is not an end in itself, stability is not stagnation’
According to the Baden-Wuerttemberg MEP, “a coalition is not an end in itself. Its value is measured by its ability to make decisions, implement reforms and provide the country with a clear direction. Stability remains important, but stability without visible progress will, in the end, be perceived as stagnation“.
With this government, Christ continues, “Germany has initiated reforms that were urgently needed. These must now produce tangible benefitswithout imposing additional burdens on those who work, who support their families and who finance our state through ever-increasing taxes and levies. The SPD, in particular, must now take people’s concerns seriously and show a willingness to respond to their clear demand for a firmer and more restrictive migration policyas well as significant financial relief.”
The sustainability of a Grand Coalition, Christ continues, “depends not on its name, but on its results. Only if compromises fail to produce visible improvements will this model reach its limits.”
‘Drawing boundaries is not enough, effective policy is needed’
Yesterday, Christ recalls, the vote in the two Laender “was a turning point in two respects: the AfD won in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, while Die Linke became the strongest party in Berlin for the first time. A party with roots in the SED (the hegemonic communist party in the GDR, ed.), whose regime built the Berlin Wall, could now appoint the mayor as governor of the capital.”
The cordon sanitaire tightened around the AfD seems to have been counterproductive because, contrary to what happened on the right in France and Italy, it did not favor a more moderate evolution of the far right party, which became radicalized, but did not lose support.
On the contrary, he gained. “Strategically – observes Christ – la firewall (literally, fire wall, ed.) it restricted the CDU’s room for manoeuvre in coalition negotiations in several ways. Politically, however, it reflects a fundamental belief: Christian democratic principles must be defended.”
And therefore, continues the MEP, “there can be no cooperation with political extremisms, whether from the right or the left. But – he notes – drawing borders cannot replace an effective policy. Both political fringes are gaining ground, because the democratic center no longer delivers for enough people convincing solutions to the problems they face.”
‘The response to extremism is a functioning state and democratic parties that decide’
“We will not regain their trust – warns Christ – by focusing solely on other parties. Clear borders and effective policies must go hand in hand. The strongest response to political extremism is one Working condition and democratic parties that recognize problems, make decisions and deliver results.”
According to Christ, now the CDU-CSU “must recognize mistakes, speak clearly about the problems we are facingestablish clear priorities and deliver results. We must not hide behind the need to find compromises within a coalition at the federal level. People need to experience concrete improvements: a stronger economy, a controlled migrationa functioning state and real relief for families and the working middle class.”
“For the CDU – reasons Christ – this also means translating its Christian values into political action and putting people’s well-being first. This requires difficult decisions, but also a credible vision and a clear plan. Trust will not return through better explanations. It will return – he concludes – only if we demonstrate that we can solve the country’s problems, preferably through the coalition at the federal level”.