Merz after election losses AUF1 interviews Berliners

Sep 22

AUF1 reports Merz holding to reforms after three state-election defeats, ruling out personnel changes and initially retaining senior CDU support. It cites Kretschmer calling for a policy change and previews Merz facing the CDU/CSU parliamentary group, with no open replacement debate yet. Roy Graßmann asks people in central Berlin about resignation: several demand it, while one offers a more sympathetic assessment. The introduction's three-quarters figure describes the presented responses; the package supplies no representative national polling methodology.

AUF1's September 22 report previews Merz's Tuesday-afternoon CDU/CSU group meeting and says no open replacement debate had emerged at its deadline. Its account covers the reform pledge and CDU reactions before the meeting. Friedrich Merz met the CDU/CSU Bundestag group on September 22 after three CDU state-election defeats and poor polling. Thorsten Frei urged the party to address substantive gaps rather than dismiss AfD and Die Linke support as protest; Alexander Hoffmann called for reforms to distribute burdens fairly, including within government. After nearly three hours, Mathias Middelberg said criticism had been frank but the group backed the chancellor. Markus Preiß reported that Merz accepted sharp criticism and shared responsibility, while Digital Minister Karsten Wildberger urged colleagues to concentrate on practical next steps. Merz and the group leadership continued to support the reform course.