At the CDU party congress in Stuttgart, Chancellor Friedrich Merz delivered a speech that, while acknowledging past missteps like broken election promises and the difficulty of rapid reforms, failed to ignite the expected "spark" among delegates. Despite a warm welcome for former Chancellor Angela Merkel, Merz's address, which touched on various policy areas and criticized coalition partners, was met with polite applause rather than fervent enthusiasm. The congress was marked by a desire from delegates to show support for Merz ahead of upcoming state elections in Baden-Württemberg and Rheinland-Pfalz. Ultimately, Merz was re-elected as party leader with 91.17 percent of the vote, a result announced after a significant delay due to a failed digital voting system, forcing a switch to paper ballots.