Germany's conservatives 'determined' to win 2025 election

Germany's centre-right Christian Democrats (CDU) and their Bavarian sister party on Saturday set their sights firmly on victory in the 2025 parliamentary elections.

"We are determined to win this Bundestag election in a year's time," CDU leader Friedrich Merz told a party conference of the Christian Social Union (CSU) in the southern city of Augsburg.

Germany needs a government that is not hamstrung by in-fighting, Merz said in a shot at the deeply unpopular centre-left coalition government led by Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

"We will lead a government in which the public disputes finally stop," Merz told the delegates.

The next government must also regain trust in the reliability and consistency of politics, said Merz, who is aiming to become chancellor in next year's elections.

Merz said there was no dissonance within his conservative alliance. "We have found a new way of working together, in the CDU and CSU."

The CDU leader earlier prevailed against CSU leader and Bavarian state premier Markus Söder in an internal challenge for the candidacy as German chancellor.

Söder declared on Friday that their common goal was to replace the coalition government, with personnel issues playing only a minor role.

On his arrival in Augsburg, Merz was greeted with frenetic applause from the CSU party conference delegates.