At a party assembly in Munich, Bavarian Premier Markus Söder reaffirmed his stance against coalition agreements with the Greens while outlining demands for CDU leader Friedrich Merz. He emphasized the need for the Union to focus on core values and avoid compromising in their campaign. Alexander Dobrindt was chosen as the CSU’s leading candidate for the upcoming election, while rival parties also made key personnel decisions. Amid mutual accusations, the candidates for Chancellor, Olaf Scholz of the SPD and Merz, exchanged criticisms regarding their stances on Ukraine.