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CDU Faces Renewed Pressure Over Gender Imbalance as Nina Warken Takes Frauen Union Helm

The election of Health Minister Nina Warken as Frauen Union chairwoman highlights the CDU's ongoing struggle with male-dominated leadership under Friedrich Merz.

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Overview

  • Nina Warken, also serving as Germany’s Health Minister, has been elected as the new chairwoman of the CDU's Frauen Union, succeeding Annette Widmann-Mauz.
  • The CDU continues to face criticism for its lack of female representation in leadership roles, with key ministries and coalition committee positions predominantly held by men.
  • Friedrich Merz, the CDU leader, is under growing pressure to address the party’s longstanding gender imbalance, a challenge first raised decades ago by figures like Helmut Kohl.
  • The Frauen Union, with approximately 95,000 members, remains the largest association within the CDU and a critical platform for advancing gender representation in the party.
  • Warken’s leadership is seen as a step forward, but observers stress that significant structural changes are needed to achieve meaningful progress in gender equity within the CDU.