Friedrich Merz Promises Major Policy Shift if CDU/CSU Wins German Election

The CDU leader has vowed to end Green Party economic policies and emphasized unity with CSU ahead of February's Bundestag election.

Friedrich Merz, CDU leader and chancellor candidate for the CDU/CSU, has pledged a 'fundamental policy change' if the Union wins the Bundestag election on February 23, 2024.
Merz strongly criticized the Green Party's economic policies and declared they would not continue under a CDU/CSU-led government.
CSU leader Markus Söder reiterated his firm opposition to any coalition with the Greens, while Merz left the possibility open but emphasized voter decisions will determine coalition options.
Merz and Söder both emphasized the unity of the CDU and CSU in their election campaign, describing their alignment as stronger than in recent decades.
Current polling suggests that, if the Union excludes the Greens as a coalition partner, the SPD may be the only viable option for forming a government.