Friedrich Merz, the newly confirmed leader of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), has voiced remarks suggesting that his party’s alliance with the Christian Social Union (CSU) is unlikely to partner with the Green Party in the next German government, should they win the national election in 2025, Bloomberg reports.
Merz instead indicated that a grand coalition with the Social Democrats (SPD) as a junior partner would be the more probable outcome.
Merz, who secured the conservative nomination on Tuesday, will face off against incumbent Chancellor Olaf Scholz, leader of the SPD. Current opinion polls place the CDU/CSU alliance ahead of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), with the SPD and Greens trailing.
While a coalition with the AfD is off the table for the conservatives, a majority in parliament could potentially be secured by partnering with the SPD and/or Greens. However, Merz expressed strong opposition to the Greens, saying that their “style of politics,” “patronizing” approach, and “hostility to technology” make them unacceptable partners for his voters and members.
Merz’s statement comes as the conservative alliance enjoys a significant polling lead, reaching its highest level in over three and a half years. They currently hold more support than the three parties in the current coalition – the SPD, Greens, and Free Democrats – combined.
Despite his stance against the Greens at the federal level, Merz’s CDU is currently in coalition with them in five regional parliaments, including Germany’s most populous state, North Rhine-Westphalia. When questioned on this inconsistency, Merz argued that the major federal issues are not decided at the regional level.
The coming election is expected to have immigration as a dominant issue. Merz’s nomination, which comes with just over a year before the election, avoids the protracted leadership battles that hindered the conservatives in the 2021 election.
The contest for Chancellor is expected to be tight, with recent polls showing 25% of Germans would choose Merz and 21% Scholz if they could vote directly. However, almost half of the electorate expressed a preference for neither candidate.
The next German federal election is scheduled for September 28, 2025.
