Bishop Williamson destabilises German government

Alle stürzen sich auf Merkel

The meeting is a clear challenge - and so it should also be understood. It is addressed to his own Chancellor. Tomorrow Peter Ramsauer meets the Pope in the Vatican. The influential CSU faction leader is less interested in ecclesiastical questions- he has only German domestic politics in mind. Ramsauer wants to collect together the pieces, which Angela Merkel (CDU) has scattered with her public criticism of the Pope and his dealing with the Holocaust denier and SSPX member Richard Williamson. (Cathcon note: the CSU are the leading party in Bavaria- historically close to the CDU which is present in all the other German laender)

Ramsauer and the Pope - the images of cordial understanding between the Bavarian CSU and the head of the Catholic Church are a strong message: n contrast to the CDU boss, the white-blue sister (Cathcon- as per the Bavarian flag above) takes the concerns, worries and feelings of devout Catholics seriously. "We know exactly what hopes the conservative core of the CDU place on the CSU," says Ramsauer - a scarcely veiled challenge.

In the Union, all dams are breaking. At a stroke almost a torrent is discharged of pent-up displeasure about the lack of profile for the public, about the lack of leadership and the ongoing course of the party leader and chancellor. Startled by miserable opinion polls, the call is loud for a sharper profile of the ruling party. "Merkel," mocked an influential Christian Democrat behind their hand, "is the best social democratic chancellor that ever existed."

Multiple "CDU pure" is supported by conservative such as the general secretary of the Southwest CDU, Thomas Strobl, and the Brandenburg Interior Minister Joerg Schönbohm. Above all, the Bavarian CSU sister, with a view to the European Parliament no longer shows consideration. The CSU, threatens Ramsauer, will no longer hold back. "
In the view conservative party friends, the "sin list" of their party boss is long that the Chancellor not not only shows too much regard for the SPD, but without need has abandoned core points of Christian Democratic politics, and thus to alienate ordinary voters in favour of change-over voters . There are objections over the easing of embryonic stem cell research as well as the introduction of the SPD developed parent bonus, their "green" environmental and climate policies, reorientation of education policy or the introduction of a minimum wage in nearly a dozen industries.

Merkel's calculus to modernize the CDU and to make it attractive to new groups of voters does not work out to deliver the courted voters to the Union. At the same time Merkel has irritated the last loyal followers of the Union, the Catholics, the displaced and the conservatives because of it.

See also Merkel justifies criticism of Pope