Merk Faces Challenges at CDU Congress Amid Calls for Stronger Social Reform Leadership

Friedrich Merz, the Chancellor of Germany and leader of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), convenes at the party congress in Stuttgart on February 20, 2026, facing a challenging political environment a year after his electoral victory. Merz aims to steer the CDU back to its conservative roots, reversing former Chancellor Angela Merkel's liberal legacy, especially on migration policies. Notably, Merkel will attend the party conference for the first time in years, underscoring the event's significance.

Merz's leadership is under scrutiny due to low personal popularity and various setbacks, including economic stagnation with a forecasted GDP growth of just 1% for 2026, and internal party dissatisfaction over his perceived compromises with coalition partners SPD and unfulfilled promises on fiscal discipline. Business leaders have criticized Merz for lacking a substantial reform agenda necessary to invigorate the economy. Furthermore, the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) presents a growing threat as recent polls suggest the AfD occasionally outpaces the CDU/CSU coalition, pressuring Merz to ramp up rhetoric on immigration and border security.

At the Stuttgart congress, Merz seeks re-election as CDU chairman, but results are expected below the typical 90% support mark, signaling unease within party ranks. Internal voices such as Dennis Radtke, head of the CDU’s workers' wing CDA, have called for Merz to exert stronger leadership particularly in the domain of social reforms. Radtke criticized the party's disjointed social policy debates that have alienated voters and allowed the SPD to capture the narrative as the party more empathetic to workers. He urged for a coherent and positive narrative on social issues instead of fear-inducing proposals like benefit cuts or extending working years.

Despite Merz’s international achievements including support for Ukraine and bolstering NATO defense spending, domestically he confronts a skeptical public and party dissatisfied with compromises and the slow economic progress. Nonetheless, Merz remains committed to his political future, inspired in part by his family’s longevity.

The Stuttgart CDU congress is thus positioned as a critical moment for Merz to consolidate his leadership, address internal dissent, and clarify the CDU’s social reform agenda amid rising internal and external political pressures.