CSU-Parteitag: Die große Ilse-Aigner-Show

At the CSU Party, Chancellor Friedrich Merz makes a significant and potentially decisive move by warmly welcoming CSU President Ilse Aigner before European People's Party President Manfred Weber. The delegates greet her in applause and jubilation, rising from their seats. Aigner, sitting in the front row, stands up and waves to the hall in Munich, beaming with joy.

This is no ordinary greeting; Aigner is the CSU's preferred candidate for the presidency. Söder had hoped for her, but his party is overwhelmingly behind her, and Aigner has endorsements from the SPD and Greens. It's unclear if this preference extends to the CDU and Merz, who remain uncertain. Merz explicitly names Aigner prominently, in contrast to CSU Party Days 2024 and 2025.

Expectations are high among CSU delegates for Merz's handling of Aigner, especially regarding the P-question – who will succeed Frank-Walter Steinmeier as President next year. The entire party meeting is essentially an Ilse-Aigner show. Despite not uttering a single word, Aigner's widespread support is evident, and she expresses happiness that the decision lies with the party leaders.

Söder's 73-minute speech, primarily focused on combating extremism from the left and right, leads to this critical moment – the renewed endorsement of Aigner as the next President. With a Freudian promise: "I would love Ilse Aigner to become the next President. It would be a great thing," Söder initially intended to say. He later corrected the sentence on Instagram, but the underlying motive remains unclear.

Whether Söder genuinely supports his party friend or whether the CDU might be considering a last-minute chance to enter the Chancellor's office is uncertain. Meanwhile, Söder, who initially supported Aigner in April following the municipal elections, appears somewhat self-critical. The CSU's internal struggles, including a string of lost elections and Söder's press conference mishap, may have influenced his recent public endorsement of Aigner as a way to stabilize his position within the party.