Tag: Ursula von der Leyen

Political scientist Wolfgang Merkel said on the talk show Anne Will: “I do not think that she will regain her old power again.” Mr Merkel pointed to the fact that Angela Merkel lacked support on all front - even from within the Christian Social Union (CSU) the sister party to Mrs Merkel’s own Christian Democrats (CDU). Referring to the need to form another “grand coalition” with the CDU’s old partners in her last administration the Social Democrats (SPD), he said: "They would have to make big concessions to the SPD and alienate themselves even further from the Union core electorate.” Federal Defence Minister and deputy leader of the CDU Ursula von der Leyen defended Mrs Merkel’s record in power, arguing that instead of attempting to form an alliance with the likes of the SPD leader Martin Schulz, Mrs Merkel should be talking to French President Emmanuel Macron on how they can shape the future of Europe together. Mrs Merkel also came under fire from the SPD’s Carsten Schneider on the show, who said he saw her power eroding and her assertiveness disappear. Mon, September 25, 2017 Latest pictures during the upcoming general elections in Germany He said: "Germany will not be as stable as it once was. "There were no problems for a long time, then they appeared in the form of the refugees and now they have arrived in the political system." Wolfgang Merkel also warned that any agreement formed with the SPD would not be a “grand coalition” in its former self with the last administration lead by Mrs Merkel as both parties together would have a majority of just 53 per cent. Mrs Merkel’s political future is still up in the air as talks stalled with the SPD at the end of last week. SPD leader Martin Schulz said after party board discussions in Berlin: “Regarding the formation of a new government, there was broad support for not ruling any option out.” Ties between the SPD and conservatives - still sharing power in a caretaker capacity - have already been strained this week after a conservative minister backed extending the use of a weedkiller at the European Union level against the SPD’s wishes and without its prior knowledge. Mr Schulz said: “We have a lot of options for building a government. That’s exactly what I will propose to the party leadership on Monday.” Additional reporting by Monika Pallenburg