CDU deputy group leader says no taboos on splitting chancellor and party chair roles

In a televised interview, CDU Bundestag group deputy chair Günter Krings stated that the party should not consider any option taboo, including a split between the chancellor's office and the party chair. He referenced historical instances where holding both posts together was ineffective and emphasized that national priorities outweigh individual roles. Krings argued that the CDU's immediate task is to advance long-delayed reforms, not to fuel a leadership debate.

He described the recent losses in Sachsen-Anhalt, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Berlin as the deepest crisis the party has faced. While Chancellor Friedrich Merz reaffirmed his reform agenda and denied any internal discussion about his future, Krings highlighted the need for flexibility and thanked the SPD for its willingness to continue the coalition.