Merz on conversation with Scholz: We parted ways "in disagreement"

Merz on conversation with Scholz: We parted ways "in disagreement" Article by AFP • 10 hours • 2 minutes reading time Union parliamentary group leader Friedrich Merz (CDU) has expressed his disappointment at his conversation with Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) on the current political situation. He and Scholz "parted ways in disagreement". Union parliamentary group leader Friedrich Merz (CDU) has expressed his disappointment at his conversation with Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) on the current political situation. He and Scholz "parted ways in disagreement" on Thursday, Merz said on Friday morning after his special meeting of his parliamentary group. The Chancellor was unable to give a plausible reason why he only wants to ask the vote of confidence in mid-January and not next week. According to Merz, a government statement by Scholz in the Bundestag on the current situation is planned for next Wednesday. He called on the Chancellor to ask the vote of confidence on that day as well. On Wednesday evening, Scholz had named January 15 as the date for this step. Merz expressed the suspicion that Scholz wanted to schedule various votes in the Bundestag over the next two months and thereby put the Union in a position "that he can exploit for the SPD's election campaign." This behavior does not do justice to the office of a Federal Chancellor or to the country, judged the CDU chairman. The people of Germany expect quick new elections. With the instrument of the vote of confidence, "the Federal Chancellor alone" has the power to bring about the new elections, said Merz. Scholz must now assume this responsibility. He himself, as well as his parliamentary group, together with "the vast majority of the German electorate," feels it is irresponsible that Scholz wants to wait until mid-January, Merz emphasized. He hopes that the Chancellor will still be able to change his mind. CSU regional group leader Alexander Dobrindt also described Scholz's current schedule as "absolutely disrespectful." At the same time, he accused the Greens of supporting this "disrespectful course". Regarding the behavior of the Union faction in the coming weeks, Merz said that the CDU and CSU had followed a clear line since the beginning of the legislative period: "We agree to the laws that we believe are right" and not to the others. "We will continue to do so in the Bundestag that is coming to an end," assured Merz.