The CDU politician Kai Wegner is the new governing mayor of Berlin – but only after an election thriller lasting several hours in the House of Representatives (stern reported). The 50-year-old failed to win a majority twice on Thursday, although the CDU and its new coalition partner, the SPD, have enough mandates. In the third ballot, the AfD declared its support for Wegner. How many AfD MPs voted for the CDU man remained open. But there was fierce criticism from the Greens and the Left, among others.
Commentators rate the bumpy mayoral election as a “failed start” (“taz”) and a “false start” (“Rheinische Post”) for the grand coalition, which is facing major challenges in Berlin. The media echo.
“Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung”: “Many voted for the CDU because they wanted to show the red-red-green Senate the red card after the messed-up state election without political consequences. Wegner promised them a real new start. It will be even more complicated to enforce it after this false start .”
“Stuttgarter Zeitung”: “The new governing mayor Kai Wegner only achieved the necessary majority in the third attempt. This reveals three things: firstly, how hostile the new alliance partners of the CDU and SPD are; secondly, how much the authority of the SPD leader Franziska differs Giffey has evaporated and thirdly, like the frustrated comrades, the last bit of state responsibility has been lost. They even risked that their government would now have to live with the odium of being supported by the AfD.”
“Rheinische Post” (Düsseldorf): “For Wegner it’s a classic false start, for Berlin it was initially the continuation of a drama. First the election to the House of Representatives had to be repeated, then the candidate for the office of governor lacked a majority. Who cares always thought in the rest of the republic that they couldn’t get anything done there on the Spree, no airport, no decent elections, no functioning administration, could once again feel vindicated. but that wasn’t advertising for Berlin.”
“taz” (Berlin): “This botched start will make it even more difficult for the new CDU head of government to tackle Berlin’s many problems, especially since the next election will take place in just over three years. Although there is a cross-party consensus on the major challenges (…) But if a coalition shows itself to be so unstable so early on, it cannot hope for any concessions from other parties – for example in negotiations between the Senate and the district level – and at the same time it must always fear for its own majority.”
“Tagesspiegel” (Berlin): “The close election of Wegner expresses a lot of disappointment, anger and anger from within the ranks. This can be even more dangerous for Wegner in the future than the fickle SPD. The fact that the AfD is now also boasting that Having put the capital’s governing mayor into office makes things even more of a burden for Kai Wegner, regardless of whether the AfD votes were decisive or whether the AfD’s announcement that Wegner would win a majority alone disciplined the coalition It’s beyond embarrassing.”
“Süddeutsche Zeitung” (Munich): “How is someone supposed to find majorities for tricky decisions if he hasn’t had more than a dozen politicians from the coalition camp on his side from the start? This fiasco demonstrates not for the first time that fine words and praise from the Executives in politics are not the decisive currency. (…) So this day is also a fiasco for the capital, which so badly needs a determined and successful Senate.”
“Die Welt” (Berlin): “The new government in the capital is starting, as the old one ended, with a disgrace. The fact that the head of government needed three ballots shows the state of an SPD, which actually belongs in the opposition. Ironically, the damaged Kai Wegner now has to save the redevelopment case Berlin.”
