It’s Christmas time in the CSU and how. “The Christmas peace is back,” reported a member of the management Board on the Monday of the last party to Board meeting before Christmas. “Since incense comes out.” Praise and warm words from all sides, reported by others, the CSU-man. “So much the friendship never was.”

At the end of this for the CSU, and to him personally memorable year, Horst Seehofer is head of his last Board meeting. Originally, it was supposed to be another, just before the special Congress of the party on the 19th. January. But you want to be without now. Seehofer adopted, so from the party’s Executive Committee, short and painless: The session is not to not even two hours, at the subsequent press conference, he takes part in.

“I can only say, also the most beautiful time comes to an end. Now, the time has come for me“, says Seehofer before the beginning of the meeting. “I am now for over ten years in office, that is enough. That’s enough.“ The 69-Year-old wants to keep in his own words, in the future, when it comes to pure party Affairs. “I’m not going to act as guardian in my party. Each time your subjects, your people, your style.“ There will be no “smartass inlet”.

“I’m happy, I need to say”

Almost solemnly, it’s also behind closed doors. “It was the Chairman for ten good years and ten strong years for the CSU, Horst Seehofer as Party”, said Bavarian Prime Minister Markus Söder of the participants. And Seehofer’s, Söder as his successor in the CSU presidency to propose. The “touch of history” had blown through the room, says CSU General Secretary Markus flower. Söder, who is nominated by the party Executive, unanimously, speaks of a “moving Moment”, and praises Seehofer: “He is one of the Big names in the CSU history.”

“I’m happy, I need to say,” says Seehofer after the end of the session. “It is always a turning point in life, if something is coming to an end.” You talk often about the finiteness of the things in life. “But if they do take place, it is still a private experience.” It is also a piece of relief but. “There is a new section in life, begins a completely different life, with security, no Stress.” The was “have been a beautiful Stress”.

The Christmas harmony this Morning, however, can not forget the severe crises of the CSU are: the crash in the Bundestag election in 2017, Seehofer’s involuntary departure as Prime Minister, and the turbulent transfer of power to Söder, the duration of the dispute with the sister party, the CDU, and several governmental crises in Berlin, the crash in the Bavarian state election and then the spat, to Seehofer also opens the way to the CSU-top free.

The challenges are great

The CSU-Christmas peace Söder has not but even small flaws that show that at least a part of the new harmony is perhaps a little staged: In a press-party of the CSU, this Wednesday should be only Seehofer,. And Seehofer adopted, although according to his own words, many of the party-divisions – the exam of the CSU parliamentary group in the beginning of January in the monastery of Banz, he is not. This is possibly due to the fact that the deep trenches between Seehofer and the group filled in quite so easily, or at least bridge? After all, Seehofer makes the group’s main responsible for the fact that he was hunted in Munich by the court.

However, the CSU wants to look forward. With optimism forward to go to Söder’s called. The mountain of tasks and challenges is great: After the last election failures, there should be a larger party of reform. The cooperation with the CDU to the new party leader, Kramp-Karrenbauer and Söder Annegret on a new, more stable Foundation. And then the Europe is waiting at the end of may choice with the CSU politician Manfred Weber as a leading candidate. That is the first test for Söder as a CSU leader.

No new staff debate

still Remains a little question: how long Seehofer still Federal Minister of the interior. In November, he had made in an internal meeting, that he does not want to remain without a party chaired by permanent Secretary. Publicly he says with a grin that he doesn’t want to say: “As we have noted already several times now, that there is no need for explanation.”

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Horst Seehofer, A political Job is not a private property

Pascale Hugues

Söder and large parts of the CSU seem to have no interest in a CSU staff debate, then at the Berlin parquet. New turmoil of a personnel nature should be avoided. Especially in the CSU series is not a successor for the 69-Year-old begs. Seehofer should not hand over now, but earlier, he could make just as Chancellor Angela Merkel as the Federal Minister of the interior. Or is it not? What Seehofer says, when he says on Monday, “the Stress has an end”? The guesswork goes on. (Christoph Trost and Marco Hadem, dpa )