The federal board of the CDA, the Christian Democratic Union's workers' wing, adopted an appeal for party reform after recent election defeats. Reuters, citing ZDFheute, reported that the proposals appear in a four-page policy paper.
The document argues that the CDU is falling short of its ambition to be a broad-based people's party. Too many social groups are scarcely represented, it says, and many citizens no longer regard the party as their political home. The CDA wants social diversity reflected in internal debates, decision-making and parliamentary representation.
It proposes that candidate selection at federal, state and district levels actively include the party's different political currents and social constituencies. Constituency candidates and party lists should represent workers in industry, skilled trades, care and education alongside people from small and medium-sized businesses.
CDA chairman Dennis Radtke told ZDFheute that CDU leader Friedrich Merz had promised years ago to broaden the party's base but had not done enough to bring people in. In Radtke's view, rhetoric about excessive sick leave and insufficient willingness to work alienates people rather than winning them over. He urged Merz to take that criticism seriously.