Merkel criticizes "Fingerhakeln" in the Union

In the Junge Union Angela Merkel conjures the unity of her party. Voters did not like quarrels. The CDU boss also criticized the auto companies.

Before the state elections in Bavaria and Hesse, the CDU leader Angela Merkel has called her party to unity. On the Germany Day of the Junge Union in Kiel, the Chancellor described the elections as very important. She urged party representatives to turn to voters rather than "finger-sticking together." Thus she played on the recent disputes between the CDU and the CSU.

She had hoped after the long government formation that you concentrate on content. The polls showed that voters did not like the parties when they worked together. You have to wrestle more for the cause again, said Merkel. She wanted to make her own contribution.

The topic of unity also defined the speech in relation to Europe. The Chancellor called for a common foreign policy of the European Union. Depending on who a head of state from another country in Europe, he would get different statements on the same topics. For example, the statements of European countries in the direction of China differed. That was not good, said the CDU boss.

She also criticized the different defense systems in the confederation. Europe has more than 160 weapons systems, in the US it is less than 50. "You can imagine what this is inefficiency," Merkel said. "How do we want to compete with others in the world?" She advocated a "common demeanor as a global actor".

The auto industry was "very guilty"

In her speech, Merkel expressed clear criticism of the German auto industry. It had been there in the discussion about pollutant reduction lied and cheated, said the CDU chairman. Several companies in the auto industry had "very guilty and playful trust".

In her weekly podcast Merkel had defended old technologies. With its package of measures on diesel, the German government wants to achieve improved acceptance of the drive. It will take him many more years to get fully involved in future technologies.

The head of government also addressed the Junge Union's "huge challenges" in the automotive industry through digitization. "I'll tell you quite honestly: It's killing me that we can not make battery cells," she said. It is nice that the Chinese now produce in Thuringia, but it also needs European manufacturers. It is similar with the drive technologies. She wanted to say that even in 20 or 30 years time, Germany would be a leading mobility provider.