I will also not vote for Laschet but I just find some of the bashing of him here and on Twitter a bit problematic. I think much worse right-wing could be coming after him and I'm with Habeck that we need a somewhat stable CDU/CSU also against the AfD. I'm very disappointed in how Laschet always circumvents his Maaßen problem and I'm not a fan of his Scholz attacks, but I do think this is somewhat of a strategy he was forced upon also by his party given his waning popularity and the party just being unable to state why in hell they need to stay in power even longer after 16 years of Merkel. While Laschet is not free of mistakes, I do appreciate his ability to govern a state with a majority of just one seat, he does seem to listen to other opinions and was much more relatable as a human being yesterday (which is rare these days) and I think for CDU/CSU standards he's pretty good about integration topics and even contradicted his official party line on quite a few occasions yesterday. As I said, my fear is for the future party system with a right-wing CDU/CSU and I'm not sure I want that either.
Yes, social media seems to be much more involved during this election then even last time. Though I'm certain that some SPD members would say that how Martin Schulz was treated on social media four years ago was unfair as well. Is somebody like Paul Ziemiak involved in the campaign and able to steer it? Certainly, it's not all on Laschet and I also think that the aggressiveness we saw during the Triell was mandated from above and didn't fit Laschet.
Believe it or not, it's also not just about Laschet. He is the frontman, the one getting all the heat and all the frustration that people feel towards the party. Fair enough, I'm certain he is able to handle it and knew what was coming.
Is a more right-wing CDU in the future a possibility? Yes, it is.
CDU is starting that path themselves by calling everything "Left" that isn't AfD. Even the FDP is suddenly left!
It is a path they are actively choosing. CDU and SPD were too close to each other, the time of the big Volksparteien is over. I've talked about it on another page, but a single party getting 40%+ in the future is unrealistic. CDU needs as much of a new identity as SPD and I think that identity will be more right. But I do not think they are going to cooperate with AfD nor would I go as far as comparing them to MAGA/Trump. I'm not in the slightest afraid that CDU will try to initiate a coup, start building walls, try to leave the EU, deny covid etc.
For what Laschet believes or not is a hard question for me to answer. You are saying he is pro integration? But he also said he is pro same-sex marriage, while saying the opposite, even calling it anti-constitutional not that long ago. He is claiming to have protected the Hambacher Forest, while there is an videofile available where he clearly and loudly says:
"The reason was made up, I needed to get them out of there."
"Wer einmal lügt, dem glaubt man nicht, auch wenn er dann die Wahrheit spricht"
(Lie once and never be trusted again).
And yes, every single politician lies. But Laschet managed to make it his standout trait and because of that nobody knows how his moral compass is calibrated.
