Internal dissatisfaction with Friedrich Merz has grown within the CDU/CSU bloc

Dissatisfaction with the possible future German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is growing in the Christian Democratic Union (CDU/CSU) bloc. This was reported by the Bild newspaper on Saturday, March 8.

Merz's party members fear that the March 18 vote could fail due to disagreements within the bloc.

"People are annoyed by the recent changes taken by Merz regarding the debt brake and special funds. The disappointment is so great that, as they say, the Bundestag vote on March 18 may fail because of people in the party itself," the newspaper says.

Additional pressure on politicians is exerted by German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, who is interested in the new government starting to work as soon as possible.

Change of power: German elections won by the opposition CDU/CSU party

Friedrich Merz will be the new chancellor.

Early elections to the lower house of parliament, the Bundestag, were held in Germany on February 23. As expected, the CDU/CSU opposition bloc won, gaining almost 28.6% of the vote. The second place was taken by the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party with 20.8%.

The Social Democratic Party of the current Chancellor Olaf Scholz took third place with 16.4%. The Free Democratic Party (FDP) and the Sarah Wagenknecht Union for Reason and Justice (SSV) failed to enter the Bundestag.