CSU's Söder rules out chancellor bid, urges Berlin to cut social spending

Bavarian premier Markus Söder told Bild am Sonntag that the CSU will not field a chancellor candidate, while pressing the federal government to reduce 'wrong social expenditures.' The remarks signal internal CDU/CSU positioning ahead of the 2025 federal election, with Söder seeking to influence policy direction without a top candidacy.