Theo Waigel, the honorary chairman of the CSU and former Federal Minister of Finance, has called for a “fundamental, in-depth discussion” about the direction of his party. According to Waigel’s statements to the “Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung” (Friday edition), this discussion should take place during a closed-door meeting or through a basic principles commission. Beyond the CSU members, the dialogue should include theologians, political philosophers, and societal groups to address the party’s orientation. Only after this foundational discussion can the party convention tackle the issues.
Waigel’s call comes in response to the “Pentecost letter” written by CSU deputy chairman Manfred Weber. Weber’s letter criticized the party’s substance, arguing that its politics too often focused on “headlines” and “clickbait”. Waigel referred to Weber’s communication as a “wake-up call” for the party.
He stressed that the CSU needs to figure out how to recreate itself as a “democracy and party project”. Waigel insisted that the party must engage in deeper self-reflection and internal discussion. “Criticism is legitimate, but everyone must practice self-criticism. I believe we all have reason to think about this and improve our political discourse” Waigel commented.
However, the honorary chairman made it clear that he does not want to interpret Weber’s letter as a score-settling action. Pointing to his own past as the head of the CSU, Waigel noted that criticism directed at party chairmen is not unusual, and that disagreements were far more common in the past. He advised Markus Söder to take the letter calmly, rather than viewing it as an “insult to majesty”-and to approach Weber’s programmatic proposals “aggressively”.
Furthermore, Waigel indicated that he desires greater diversity in the leadership of the CSU. Relating to this, he recalled an adage from the philosopher Max Müller to Markus Söder some time ago: “Be what only you can be, but let others be what only they can be”.
