With a new basic program, the CSU wants to prepare itself for current and future challenges in times of the Ukraine war and after Corona. The approximately 90-page work, which the party presented in Munich after around a year of work, is a classic definition of the position of the CSU as a conservative people’s party – but also with some new facets and emphasis. The program entitled “For a New Togetherness” is to be finally decided at a party conference on May 6th.
For example, the importance of renewable energies, a functioning health and pharmaceutical supply and domestic food production are worked out – as lessons from the Ukraine war and Corona. In addition, the CSU emphasizes the great importance of the Bundeswehr and the protection of critical infrastructure.
In family policy, the CSU emphasizes that it is committed to “the traditional marriage of man and woman”. However, the draft of the new program also says: “We reject any form of discrimination against same-sex marriages or partnerships.” In the chapter on migration, the CSU has meanwhile renewed its call for limiting immigration: “We stand by our humanitarian responsibility. But we cannot take in everyone who wants to come to us,” it says. And further: “Without order, control and limitation of migration, our help cannot succeed.”
CSU defends itself against “Cancel Culture”
The chairmen of the Policy Commission, Anja Weisgerber and Gerhard Hopp, emphasized that they had not developed an election program, but a policy program that should shape CSU work in the coming years. It is now the eighth CSU basic program – the previous one was created in 2016 under the impression of the 2015/16 refugee crisis.
CSU General Secretary Martin Huber called the new program more of an “evolution”. “Our principles have carried us for decades.” In fact, the program largely contains well-known and more fundamental CSU positions. But sometimes it also goes into detail – for example with a clear no to cannabis legalization.
What is striking is how the CSU in its new program opposes what it sees as a “left-wing culture war in the form of identity politics, wokeness and cancel culture”. The proponents of these “ideologies” wanted “another country,” it said. But it is also interesting how the CSU also names points where they themselves have some catching up to do – for example in the repayment of the drastically increased national debt or the reduction of annual land use.
