BERLIN, June 28 (Xinhua) -- Members of German Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and Christian Social Union (CSU) have heavily criticized Angela Merkel (CDU) after the conservative German chancellor surprisingly gave up long-standing opposition to same-sex marriage, the newspaper "Neue Passauer Presse" reported on Wednesday.
In a meeting which Merkel did not attend, several party members complained that they had been overwhelmed by their leader without having a say in the matter.
"Merkel has completely let control slip from her hands(on the issue)" and "We are fed up" CDU parliamentarians were quoted saying.
Critics of chancellor Merkel included the CDU/CSU faction's deputy chairperson in the Federal Parliament (Bundestag) Ralph Brinkhaus, as well as the parliamentarians Thomas Jarzombek and Michael Brand.
In contrast, some CDU/CSU members such as parliamentarian Stefan Kaufmann congratulated and thanked the chancellor. Kaufman described Merkel's decision as "liberating."
Speaking to the women's magazine "Brigitte", Merkel had unexpectedly swerved from her party's official line to oppose same-sex marriage on the grounds of child welfare. Instead she said she could envision a "decision of conscience," granting parliamentarians a free vote during the next legislative period.
Members of the Social Democrats (SPD), Liberal Democrats (FDP), Greens (Gruene) and Left (Linke) parties welcomed Merkel's U-turn, but demanded that a vote be held immediately rather than waiting for the formation of the next parliament.
Speaking to the "Ruhr Nachrichten" Federal Minister of Family Affairs Katarina Barley (SPD) said that "there is no reason to wait" and "a decision of conscience cannot be postponed."
The SPD wants to hold a vote as early as Friday and has welcomed Merkel's change of heart and the resulting infighting amongst conservatives as an opportunity to improve its own political fortunes ahead of national elections in September.
Thomas Opperman, the SPD faction leader, announced that the party would seek an open vote in which the names of parliamentarians who opposed and supported the motion would be published. That way voters would know where their representatives stood on the issue, Opperman told German television channel ZDF.
According to a recent representative survey by the Federal Anti-Discrimination Agency, 82 percent of Germans support same sex marriage.
Michael Kretschmer, another deputy chairman of the CDU/CSU faction, already warned that there would be widespread resistance in his party during a free parliamentary vote on marriage equality.
The CDU and CSU were the only parties with a clear position, he told Deutschlandfunk. According to Kretschmer, marriage in Europe and Germany traditionally refers to a union between husband and wife. There was no need for legislative changes as civil partnerships offered the same rights to same-sex couples, aside from adoption.
Johannes Singhammer (CSU), deputy president of the Federal Parliament, similarly rejected granting homosexuals the same adoption rights as heterosexuals. From the CSU's perspective it was better for children if they had a parent from both sexes, Singhammer told NDR Info.
Singhammer further cautioned that the legalization of marriage equality raised constitutional issues and could not simply be rushed through parliament. Legislating marriage equality may require a change to Germany's federal constitution.
The CDU and CSU want to avoid a vote on same sex marriage before elections in September and would rather discuss the subject internally first. Volker Kauder, the CDU/CSU faction leader, accused the SPD of a "breach of trust" for seemingly pressing ahead without the consent of their coalition partner.
A free vote on same-sex marriage is now likely to be held during Friday's parliamentary session. A majority in favor is seen as a near certainty, given that all parties except for the CDU/CSU support the issue.
Greens politician Volker Beck said in the newspaper Berliner Zeitung on Wednesday that his party had been fighting for marriage equality for 29 years and looked forward to a "historic decision."
