The CDU’s federal party convention in Stuttgart resumed on Saturday with a range of substantive policy debates. The previous day had confirmed party leader Friedrich Merz in office, and he was re‑elected with 91.2 percent of the vote. His last election in 2024 had secured 89.8 percent, while his first online convention in January 2022 yielded 94.6 percent.
On Saturday, a key item on the agenda came from the Schleswig‑Holstein state association, calling for a legal minimum age of 16 for using social networks such as TikTok and Instagram. The proposal also demands an obligatory age‑verification system, and Merz had recently expressed favour for it.
Other motions on the table include a joint request from the Women’s Union and the Mittelstands‑ und Wirtschaftsunion to introduce nationwide rules governing smartphone use in schools. These rules would create “protection zones” up to the 10th grade, within which private use of digital devices would be banned during classes and breaks. The commission reviewing the proposal recommends that delegates approve it.
A further motion from the Mittelstands‑ und Wirtschaftsunion aims to eliminate the ability to receive medical certificates by phone, arguing that it leads to increased absenteeism. The SPD has already opposed such a change. The prospect of a sugar tax on drinks high in added sugars is also on the docket, though the commission advises that this proposal be rejected.
The convention is set to conclude with a speech by CSU party leader Markus Söder.
