Germany's Christian Democrats pick new faction leader

February 29, 2000
Web posted at: 10:10 p.m. EST (0310 GMT)

From Correspondent Bettina Luscher

BERLIN (CNN) -- The political landscape in Germany changed again Tuesday as the nation's conservative opposition picked a new parliamentary leader.

Trying to put its most damaging scandal firmly in the past, the Christian Democratic Union elected Friedrich Merz as chairman of its parliamentary group.

His election as the faction leader of the Christian Democrats and their Bavarian sister party in parliament is intended to polish the Christian Democrats' battered image.

VIDEO CNN's Bettina Luscher reports from Berlin on the man chosen to help polish the CDU's tarnished image. Windows Media 28K 80K   MESSAGE BOARD Germany today

The 44-year-old Merz, who has been a member of parliament for less than six years, succeeds Wolfgang Schaeuble, who resigned amid the party finance scandal that has rocked the Christian Democrats since November.

Daily revelations about secret donations accepted by former Chancellor Helmut Kohl and secret bank accounts forced Schaeuble to resign after criticism of his leadership in the crisis.

Merz did not address the scandal and had only praise for his predecessor.

"This is not good-bye to Wolfgang Schaeuble. He will remain in the parliamentary party," Merz said. "Personally, I hope he will support and help me with his advice the next two and a half years, until the next general election."

Merz has had a meteoric rise in the party. An expert on finance and tax policies, he quickly caught the eye of party elders by eloquent and aggressive speeches in parliament.

The election of Merz comes as the Christian Democrats search for new talents with strong enthusiasm and a sense for correct action.

The party chairmanship is still up for grabs. Among the front-runners is Angela Merkel, the secretary-general of the party, and Volker Ruehe, the former defense minister.

Merkel has impressed many in the party with her calls for a break with the Kohl era and total openness about the scandal.

Ruehe just lost a state election over the weekend, but some Christian Democrats say he prevented a worse election outcome.

The CDU will formally crown its next leader in early April.

Germany's CDU suffers limited losses in election test
February 28, 2000
Scandal-ridden German party faces its first electoral test
February 27, 2000
Germany's Christian Democrats hit with record-high forfeiture
February 15, 2000
Prosecutors unable to probe Kohl's French connection
January 25, 2000
German CDU sinks in polls amid financial scandal
January 21, 2000
German Chancellor Schroeder confident, despite first year of setbacks
October 29, 1999
German chancellor's ruling party happy to hold its ground
October 11, 1999

CDU Deutschlands (German/English)
German Government

Note: Pages will open in a new browser window

External sites are not endorsed by CNN Interactive.