Brandenburg JU chief quits CDU, says party has lost credibility under Merz

Resignation and criticism

Laura Strohschneider, the 29-year-old state chair of the Junge Union (JU) Brandenburg, resigned from her post and left the CDU on 30 July 2026. In a message to members seen by dpa, she said she had lost faith in the party's credibility and the direction of the federal government under Chancellor Friedrich Merz. Strohschneider, who had been a CDU member since 2016 and led the Brandenburg JU since 2023, also stepped down as East commissioner of the JU Germany.

“Almost ten years I have been involved because I believed that we could move this country forward again. I have lost that belief.”

She said she had begun to avoid talking about her political work because she could no longer justify it. Strohschneider pointed to the constitutional amendment on the debt brake and the income tax reform as examples of policies that, in her view, make life harder for high performers. She warned that many people would see their net income shrink after expected rises in social contributions.

“We have manoeuvred ourselves into a dead end for ideological reasons, driven by fear of losing our coalition partner, and are failing to push through urgently needed reforms to the necessary extent.”

Party reaction

CDU General Secretary Julian Brüning expressed regret over the resignation and used the moment to demand faster action from the federal government. He said the recent cabinet reshuffle must lead to more focused and quicker solutions to the country's pressing problems.

“We regret Laura Strohschneider's resignation. Especially when things are difficult, we need people in the Union who work with passion to get Germany back on an upward path.”

Brüning added that everyone knows what needs to be done and that the government must now deliver together.

Cabinet reshuffle context

The resignation came shortly after a broader personnel shake-up triggered by the departure of Union parliamentary group leader Jens Spahn. Thorsten Frei, previously head of the chancellery, took over the parliamentary group. Nina Warken moved from the health ministry to lead the chancellery. Carsten Linnemann, the former CDU general secretary, became health minister, and party treasurer Franziska Hoppermann succeeded him as general secretary. In the transport ministry, Patrick Schnieder was replaced by Steffen Bilger, who had been the parliamentary managing director of the Union faction.

Internal discontent over pensions

The resignation also highlights broader unrest within the CDU. The three eastern CDU minister-presidents are resisting a recommendation by the pension commission to abolish the pension without deductions after 45 years of contributions. Their opposition adds to the pressure on the Merz government, which is already facing criticism from its own youth wing over what Strohschneider described as a policy direction that "makes it harder for the hard-working."

Strohschneider's departure leaves the Brandenburg JU in the hands of her deputies. She said she had led the organisation with energy until the last minute and had managed to increase membership numbers against the national trend.