Wiebke Winter, a top candidate for the CDU, has called on her party to shift its focus away from internal debates. She dismissed recent speculation concerning a potential reshuffle of the federal government following the state elections. Speaking to the “Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung” (NOZ), Winter stated that Friedrich Merz and the federal government are elected for a four-year term, expressing confidence that this mandate will be fully utilized. She emphasized the importance of Germany remaining a pillar of stability within the EU, particularly given the current international context. Winter added that instead of inward reflection, the party should concentrate on advancing crucial topics that fall under the government’s responsibilities.
Relating to domestic policy, she urged the federal government to “urgently implement” the proposals put forth by the Age Security Commission concerning pensions. She described the abolition of the so-called “early retirement at 63” as an act of “generational justice.” According to Winter, incentives for early retirement primarily benefit higher earners, not those engaged in physically demanding labor. She noted that the commission has developed specific suggestions for this demographic, asserting that they owe it to the younger generation not to place undue demands upon them. As a member of the CDU board, she stresses this concern.
Turning to the national stage, Winter indicated that she will not commit to a gender when selecting a candidate for the Federal President election. She views insisting on a female successor to Frank-Walter Steinmeier as incorrect, arguing that the focus should be on defining the necessary profile for the office rather than discussing specific individuals or genders. She articulated a clear hope: the person holding the office of Federal President must give the nation a unifying story-that which people can believe in and that provides a shared identity, offering a “Kennedy moment.” She considers this unifying potential far more important than gender considerations.
This stance comes after the CDU leadership recently retreated from a prior commitment to having a woman as a candidate. Both the SPD continues to champion a female nomination, and the CSU also pressures for a women. The Bavarian state parliament president, Ilse Aigner, is viewed as a suitable candidate by the CSU.
