Page "Christian Democratic Union (Germany)" Paragraph 20

The loss of anti-Communism as a political theme, secularization, and the cultural revolutions occurring since the 1960s have challenged the viability of the CDU.

In her 2005 campaign, Angela Merkel was unwilling to express explicitly Christian views, while maintaining that her party had never lost its " concept of values ".

Merkel and Bundestag President Norbert Lammert have been keen to clarify that CDU references to the " dominant culture " imply " tolerance and living together ".

According to party analyst Stefan Eisel, however, her avoiding the values-issue may have had the opposite effect as she failed to mobilize the party's core constituency.