Is Friedrich Merz the Leader Germany Needs?
2026-02-22
Martina Beránková, Marcela Konrádová
This study investigates how a traditional political party, the German CDU, responds to the increasing public demand for charismatic leadership. By analyzing the leadership of Friedrich Merz through the framework of plebiscitary leader democracy, the research highlights how the CDU navigates the balance between intra-party authority and broader electoral appeal. This qualitative study seeks to explore the perceptions, ideas, and priorities of key party politics stakeholders. The chosen method is a semi-structured interview. The findings reveal that Merz has successfully positioned himself within the party by excelling in the four competition values of plebiscitary leader democracy: meritocracy, peaceful conflict resolution, integration, and repoliticization. His election through the CDU’s first-ever all-member vote marks a departure from previous elite-driven selection processes, granting him a strong internal mandate. However, the study also underscores the challenge of translating intra-party dominance into national electoral success.