Former Baden-Württemberg Minister-President Günther Oettinger asserts that there is no movement within the Southwest CDU pushing for a change in chancellor. Speaking to the FAZ, he stated that he knows no one in Baden-Württemberg working towards a change, adding, “Nobody is aiming for a Chancellor like Markus Söder, and Hendrik Wüst has his own election to face.” Despite this, Oettinger did acknowledge periods of “disappointment and disillusionment” within the party. He clarifies that these issues relate less to Merz and more to the reform policy itself.
Oettinger described the coalition agreement as riddled with decisive errors. Furthermore, he dismissed the cabinet reorganization just before the summer break as “not exemplary,” even while conceding that a head of government has the prerogative to swap ministers.
Meanwhile, internal mood regarding Merz’s leadership has shifted significantly, according to observations by FAZ CDU officials. One source noted that while seventy-five percent of members previously supported him, with twenty-five expressing skepticism, the situation has now reversed.
A more scathing assessment came from Wolfgang Reinhart, former chairman of the parliamentary group in Baden-Württemberg. Reinhart expressed being “ruthlessly disappointed” with the federal chancellor. He claimed that Merz had failed to keep promises-not just regarding performance or program, but also due to his personal demeanor. Reinhart added that such a loss of standing for a CDU federal chancellor has not been seen since the party’s founding. He further labeled the cabinet reshuffle a “joke” and a “forced sidestep,” arguing that the changes within the state secretary offices were poorly justified.
