Who will be the next CDU chairman?

[DavidB.]

But as we are talking about middle class. Friedrich Merz has stated in an interview, that he, unsurprisingly has millions in his bank account. On the other hand, he still thinks he is part of the "higher middle class", which seems to be a very tone-deaf remark. On the other hand, it is a common phenomenon at least in Germany, that upper class people pretend to be middle class.

I guess it would depend on your definition of upper class. If you're not from an aristocratic family or from a family that has long been super loaded (not just very well-off), it makes sense to think of yourself as upper middle class; the amount of money on your bank account matters less in that case.

[DavidB.]

Middle class would be a very confusing translation. "Mittelstand" basically means "small and medium-sized enterprises/ enterpreneurs.

Maybe "Industry and Commerce Association" would be a good rough translation.

I don't know that Mittelstand is also a term in the English language.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mittelstand

It's not. But it has an English-language Wikipedia entry since it's used in the German-speaking world so often. In Dutch we have "middenstand" which is the same as Mittelstand - and not the same as "middenklasse" (middle class).

[DavidB.]

At what time will the results come in?

[DavidB.]

AKK 450 45.0%
Merz 392 39.24%
Spahn 157 15.72%

999 votes
0 invalid votes

Should be very good news for Merz. This is getting exciting.

[DavidB.]

Results of the 1st round:

AKK    450 45.05%
Merz   392 39.24%
Spahn 157 15.72%

999 votes (out of 1,001 delegates)
0 invalid votes

Should be very good news for Merz. This is getting exciting.

I agree. AKK is toast - and unemployed as of now as she has no Bundestag or Landtag mandate and as she will lose her job as general secretary.

Do more than 2/3 of Spahn delegates go to Merz?

Almost definitely yes. I'd be very surprised if it doesn't happen.

[DavidB.]

Still AKK. Wtf.

[DavidB.]

Looking forward to the CDU dropping further in the polls, the Greens topping the polls, and AfD reaching 20%.

[DavidB.]

AKK will attract exactly nobody who doesn't already vote for the CDU. This also sucks for the SPD. Not as if there is much of a difference between the two parties. AfD and the Greens will continue to grow.

[DavidB.]

Before posing the question who may become the next CDU chancellery candidate, the question who will succeed AKK as general secretary must be solved. Young Union chairman Paul Ziemiak is being discussed.

Apparently Ziemiak is 33 years old. In Germany, you lead the youth wing at 33 years old. In the Netherlands, you lead the party.