Before joining the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), Johannes Winkel, the chairman of the Young Union (JU), had serious doubts about the party. As a young person, he spent considerable time thinking about committing to the CDU.
Winkel told the Funke Media Group that he initially had only one fundamental problem with the CDU: the party at the time was opposed to the legal minimum wage. “I can even remember the discussion with my father,” he recounted, who pointed out, “A party that is against the minimum wage is not a Christian party. That really enlightened me.” Winkel, who was shaped by Catholic youth work, shared these memories.
Prior to reorganizing the Young Union in his hometown of Kreuztal at the age of 19, Winkel carefully considered which party he would support. “It was not easy for me to join the CDU or to join any party generally,” the JU chairman stated. “Often, people have someone close by-parents, siblings, friends, acquaintances-who is in the party. In my case, that was absolutely zero.” However, he found political discussions engaging, whether at school or with his father. “I eventually thought: Well, I would like to do something, rather than always just watching a talk show alone. It’s a bit creepy,” he joked, indicating his growing desire for active political engagement.
