Overview
- At a Women@CDU#kommunal gathering in Berlin, Chancellor Friedrich Merz told about 200 municipal politicians the party must change to make engagement and advancement feasible for women.
- He cited a 47 percent female share in his cabinet, contrasting with a decline to 23.1 percent in the Union’s Bundestag group.
- Bundestag President Julia Klöckner urged the CDU to nominate more women in safe constituencies and defended the party’s quota rules for lists.
- The Federal Statistical Office reports women hold 32.4 percent of seats in the new Bundestag and roughly a third across legislatures, with municipal bodies around 30.5 percent and little progress since 2008.
- The party highlights the Women@CDU#kommunal network founded by Christina Stumpp, as local politicians describe barriers such as childcare expectations and a harsh debate tone, with a new equality report due in February.