Armin Laschet combines what CDU politicians have always made successful: an emphatic down-to-earth attitude, an unconditional will to power – and the tactical advantage of always being underestimated.
If his office allows, the Aachen resident, who still lives in his hometown, drives to the beverage market in a blue electric vehicle on weekends.
He is also seen more often in the Greek “tavern Lakis”. Laschet lives with his wife Susanne (still working as a bookseller) in a mid-terrace house from the early 1990s and has two sons and a daughter.
So far, so unspectacular. But Laschet himself said at BILD Live: as a “nice Mr. Laschet” you won’t become the CDU boss.
Laschet has ambition and tenacity in his blood. His father Heinz (86) was a miner. Then he retrained to become a teacher and made it up to the elementary school principal. A self-fought ascent into the middle class. Son Armin continued that.
Laschet came forward in the CDU through his wife’s uncle, Kurt Malangré. Malangré was Aachen’s CDU aristocracy, where it was mayor for 16 years. And his father-in-law Heinz, an influential publisher, got Armin Laschet his first important job as editor-in-chief of a church newspaper.
Laschet learned the tactics of power early on. Even after defeats (including in the fight for the NRW-CDU chairmanship) Laschet continued. And replaced those he lost to once.
On the other hand, the passionate toto player and cigarillo smoker (regular brand “Buena Vista Aperique”) did not forget any important CDU wing when he was appointed head of the NRW government in 2017.
Wherever he lacked a profile, he brought in experts, for example NRW Interior Minister Herbert Reul (68, CDU).
He is strategically advised by the head of the NRW State Chancellery, Nathanael Liminski (35), who is at least as smart as he is.
In general, Laschet, who is more conservative than he would ever admit, has a knack for staff. In 2018 he helped to thread the appointment of Paul Ziemiak (35) as the new CDU General Secretary. Ziemiak paid him back with a perfectly organized Internet party convention that became the stage for his victory. Ziemiak is now Laschet’s bridgehead in Berlin.
Laschet does not want to move into his office in the Adenauer House until the result of the legally required postal vote to confirm the Internet vote is available. Next goal: Chancellery.
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