Manfred Weber, the Deputy Chairman of the CSU, is pushing for a fundamental reorientation of his party, putting increased pressure on CSU leader Markus Söder. Speaking to the Funke media group, Weber emphasized that the party must possess the courage to follow its core values rather than merely chasing public opinion. “The people want to feel that the established parties are truly passionate about something” he stated, adding that he also holds positions as party and group leader in the European People’s Party.
He cautioned that good governing alone will not suffice in curbing the rise of the AfD. According to Weber, if “we fail to build a perspective for tomorrow, we will have difficulty stopping populism”. He underscored the significance of upcoming elections-the Bavarian state elections, the federal elections, and the European elections in 2028 and 2029-as “crucial elections for our democracy and for the CSU as a people’s party”. His assessment was stark: “It will be us or the radicals-we must prepare for that programmatically now”.
The European politician criticized the CSU’s recent performance in the local elections, describing the result as “unfortunately mixed”. He argued that “voters have shown us that we must do more”. In addition to solving existing problems, Weber stressed the critical need for “orientation-an idea for tomorrow”. He felt that the latter element was currently lacking.
Weber recalled the efforts of former CSU leader and Federal Minister of Finance, Theo Waigel, during his campaign for the introduction of the Euro, noting that Waigel advocated for the correct long-term course despite public opinion. “That fascinated me” Weber said, arguing that such compelling visions are needed again to enhance the party’s attractiveness and strengthen community spirit. He defined togetherness and the common good as the central theme for both the CDU and the CSU-“that is my political approach”.
When asked if he intended to challenge Söder, Weber clarified that his goal was to “spark a necessary debate within the party”. He pleaded against letting “every substantive debate be stifled by a personality conflict” finding that this “kills any creativity in parties”. While maintaining he was “in exchange” with Söder, he refrained from confirming any personal ambitions for the party chairmanship.
Weber reiterated his desire to foster ideological discussion rather than focusing on personalities. He noted that he received significant encouragement from the party base to push this debate now, following the local elections. “We need the big picture” he concluded, “of what kind of world we want to live in ten or fifteen years from now-and how we give the right answers today. Politics can only be successful if it creates a convincing narrative that fosters community”.
