Herr Czaja,

Translator’s note to readers less acquainted with German politics:
Harlequin RGE’s open letter is addressed to the current Secretary General of the Christian Democratic Party (CDU), in opposition since last year for the first time in 17 years. The CSU is the Bavarian sister party of the CDU. (Why Bavaria, one of some 16 federal states, should need its own separate “Christian” party is an issue that while fascinating could fill volumes and probably stretch your reading patience.) Our Harlequin’s observations may nevertheless seem familiar to some of you abroad…

Herr Czaja,

It’s nice of you to once again confirm almost every stereotypical assessment of the CDU. What is less nice, however, is that you are further alienating people with this behaviour and implicitly fuelling hostility towards democracy. It is a complete mystery to me who gave the party bigwigs (not only) in the CDU the advice not to miss any opportunity to lash out at the political opponent.

What actually gets through to people is that you consider them too stupid and forgetful, as you obviously assume that they do not remember that the basis of the current misery was laid in the 4 legislative periods before, in which the CSU / CSU provided the chancellor and occupied key ministries.

Of course, we all suspect that with the CDU / CSU at the helm of the government, there would be neither high energy prices (Minister of Economy and Energy 2018-2021: Peter Altmaier), nor an austerity-hit Bundeswehr (Defence Ministers between 2005 and 2019: Jung, zu Guttenberg, de Mazière, von der Leyen, Kramp-Karrenbauer), let alone an ailing railway and federal motorway infrastructure (Transport Ministers after 2006: Ramsauer, Dobrindt, Schmidt and Scheuer).

Do you really think that the above-mentioned behaviour makes CDU / CSU more electable and appealing? In fact, the opposite is the case: you are driving people away from politics. In this context, I would just like to briefly remind you that according to recent opinion polls, supporters of the CDU (excluding the CSU) barely number more than the 23% non-voters (source: statista).

Why should people vote for a party that still hasn’t understood that people are not half as stupid as some of the politicians think? Or do you no longer even notice how mechanically and transparently they act? And what do you think the effect will be? That the CDU/CSU is seen as a great and progressive alternative to all other parties? Or is it simply floating on cloud nine? Or does it ultimately result from organisational culture? The organisational culture of the CDU?