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Former Hessian Minister-President Criticizes CDU's Decision to Postpone Party Conference

Roland Koch, the former Minister-President of Hesse and a member of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), has voiced his criticism towards the party's decision to postpone the federal party conference scheduled for early December in Stuttgart.

Koch, who has been a vocal advocate for the CDU, believes that the decision sends "the wrong message to all those responsible for organizing these many events on site." He suggests that the conference could be held digitally, with presentations and debates, followed by postal voting for the election of the chairman.

The former minister-president's comments are directed at North Rhine-Westphalian Minister-President Armin Laschet, who stated that a party conference is "not feasible" due to increasing coronavirus infections. Koch asserts that party conferences are not equivalent to family gatherings or Christmas markets, and that they must continue to meet, elections must not be cancelled, and parties must remain functional.

Koch emphasizes that this applies not only to federal party conferences but to party meetings at all levels, including the upcoming nomination of Bundestag candidates. He believes that politicians should not use "crisis moods" as a justification to prevent organizational processes of free self-determination.

The CDU candidate favored by Koch for the party leadership and involved in the digital presentations and debates for the chairmanship election is not explicitly named in the provided search results. However, Koch notes that the Stuttgart party conference had been "perfectly planned according to all safety rules," and that such events can be conducted safely with the right precautions.

In conclusion, Roland Koch's comments highlight the importance of maintaining the functionality of political parties, even in the face of the ongoing pandemic. He advocates for digital solutions to ensure that the CDU's organizational processes can continue, providing clarity in a few days and minimizing disruptions.