Trouble in the Central Committee of German Catholics

After the Second Vatican Council, this apostolate freed itself from episcopal authority. Today, the ZdK has become the official structure that ensures true representation of Catholics in the German public sphere. Thus, in a way, it has become a type of political party of the Church, but “secularly” independent.

Its evolution is evident in the personality of the ZdK leaders: since 1968, the presidents who have succeeded each other have all come from the political world. The current president is an exception to this observation. On the other hand, the ZdK is composed of Catholic associations and institutions, and diocesan councils, but also personalities from the world of science, the Church and society.

Today, almost half of these personalities are active members of political parties: CDU, CSU, the Greens, and the Social Democratic Party (SPD). This gives an idea of ​​the tendencies of the committee members, since “as are the elected officials, so are the voters.” This composition undoubtedly explains the very progressive positions of the ZdK on Catholic morality, and on societal trends.

Finally, it is necessary to remember the crucial role played by the ZdK in the establishment and realization of the German Synodal Path, in association with the German episcopate.

Debates in Germany on Immigration Policy

Immigration policy is once again at the heart of the debate in Germany ahead of the elections at the end of February. Parliament rejected a law that proposed restrictions on immigration. The vote, 338 votes for and 349 against, reflected the lack of consensus within the conservative coalition itself, with some major absences and abstentions.

The motion adopted a few days earlier, although not binding, set a political precedent by receiving the joint support of the CDU/CSU and the Alternative for Germany (AfD). This sparked a wave of criticism, including within the CDU itself. But the AfD now has 22% of the vote in the polls, making it the second largest political force in the country.

ZdK Shaken by Immigration Issue

Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, a CDU member who has been a member of the ZdK for several years and most recently spokeswoman for the “Sustainable Development and Global Responsibility” sector, has resigned from her position, arguing that the ZdK’s position on current migration policy left her no room to maneuver so as to continue her collaboration with the organization.

The ZdK had strongly criticized the new legislation proposed by the CDU/CSU to restrict immigration. The ZdK chairwoman accused Friedrich Merz, the candidate for the presidency of the center-right coalition, of not keeping his promise not to make the immigration issue a central theme of his election campaign, in order not to favor the AfD.

This criticism was supported by representatives of the German Bishops’ Conference and the Evangelical Church in Germany. It remains to be seen whether Kramp-Karrenbauer's departure will be followed by other members of the CDU-friendly sector within the ZdK. However, as explained above, a significant number of ZdK members are close to or belong to the CDU.

Thus, the composition of the Catholic Central Committee today reveals the fault lines of the German political class within this same committee.