Radio Sputnik discussed this with Dr. Jochen Staadt, a political analyst and head of the Free University of Berlin's research team on the German Democratic Republic.
Sputnik: Mr. Seehofer has not yet confirmed the reports of his departure. How likely is he actually to step down from your point of view?
Dr. Jochen Staadt: Well, I think when they have the party meeting, upcoming party meeting of the CSO, there will be a change [at the] top of the party. Seehofer has a lot of opponents in his own party.
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The results of the elections in Bavaria are so bad for the party that I think they want a change. They've changed already a minister-president appoint and I think that now ruling minister-president will be the follower in the party leadership.
Sputnik: What can Seehofer's departure mean for the party? I know that there is pressure on Angela Merkel but are we going to see some change in strategy? I mean that's what basically what the German people want, they want strategic change, don't they?
It's not seen by these people who left the conservative parties and went to the right-wing AfD; they don't see any political consequences in everyday life and in the things happening towards the country.
Sputnik: Jochen, in your view who could be the possible potential replacement for Mr. Seehofer?
Mr. Seehofer pointed out that he will stay as Minister for Interior questions and problems in the government of Angela Merkel and we had that in times before that the CSU had a strong leading group in Bavaria and also very strong persons in the federal government.
And I think this will be the solution that they will find. They will, I think, not press Mr. Seehofer to leave the position as Minister of the Interior.
Sputnik: Now we know this since the coalition was formed earlier this year rather this issue's been in almost constant dispute with its coalition partner the SPD. What's your feeling, what's your take on a new leader being able to sort of impact and stop the flow of difference between the two parties and get some normality into the politics in Germany?
Dr. Jochen Staadt: I don't see how these difficulties between the conservative part of CSU and CDU and the Social Democrats (SDP) should be solved. They all point out in press-conference the government should be in a better shape and should show their success more than disputing about problems between the parties.
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But these problems are existing and are based on the programs and intentions of the party leaders. So I don't see how they will stop the difficulties between these two parts of the coalition.
Sputnik: Angela Merkel has said that she would remain Chancellor until the end of her term at 2021, however, many experts have noted that her party's decreasing popularity and the poor election results we have mentioned, those could see her own party remove her before her term ends. Do you think that's likely then, Jochen?
Who of the three running candidates will it be? That is a decision what might show a little bit also the future development of the CDU. Another important point will be the elections in next year in two new countries in the former GDR in Germany.
And when you see the polls there, the AfD is stronger than the Social Democratic Party and the Left Party who was very strong in these countries till now. And if that happens if the polls will be true after the elections in these two countries, Merkel will have a big problem.
Views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the speaker and do not necessarily reflect those of Sputnik.
