Despite growing internal criticism within the CDU, political scientist Constantin Wurthmann currently does not see any immediate threat to the leadership of Friedrich Merz. According to Wurthmann, a party chairman or chancellor can hold their position as long as they maintain sufficient support within their party and lack viable alternatives. For Merz specifically, he has few peers within the Union family who possess both the experience and the backing necessary to take on the chancellorship.
The party researcher from the University of Mainz notes that state premiers such as Hendrik Wüst and Markus Söder certainly harbor ambitions. However, Wurthmann expresses doubt that the CDU would hand over the chancellorship to Söder without a serious struggle, or that the Social Democrats (SPD) would support such a move.
At the same time, the political scientist pointed out a significant issue facing the chancellor regarding his ability to fulfill his own political pledges. Wurthmann asserted that Merz promised a great deal initially but ultimately delivered too little. He warned that anyone operating with such a level of expectation management but failing to meet those promises is “bound to suffer a shipwreck.” Referring to his predecessor Olaf Scholz as the “plumber of power,” Merz himself appears, in Wurthmann’s words, to be heading toward becoming a “pipe burst.”
