In North Rhine-Westphalia, after Armin Laschet's move to Berlin, Hendrik Wüst will be in charge of the government.
Before that, there are two important dates.
Munich - The CDU is currently a party full of puzzles.
After the Bundestag election screwed up for a people's party, there is a lot of trouble.
It is completely unclear how the Christian Democrats want to get out of the deep.
And who should lead the way.
The only thing that is certain is that Chancellor candidate Armin Laschet is no longer credited with this leadership role - less than a year after his election as party leader, the days of Aachen at the top of the CDU are numbered.
But when he will pass the baton on and to whom is written in the stars.
Laschet successor in NRW: CDU candidate for chancellor speaks out in favor of Wüst
The party representation in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) is much further ahead.
Laschet's homeland, which he leaves after a good four years as the father of the country.
Most likely not to move to the Chancellery as hoped, but for a place in the Bundestag parliamentary group.
Hendrik Wüst is to succeed him in Düsseldorf, the 60-year-old himself announced on October 5th.
Until the next state election in May, the transport minister will head the CDU and FDP government in the most populous federal state.
If everything goes as planned by Laschet and the party.
+
Is everything going well?
Hendrik Wüst is to follow Armin Laschet in North Rhine-Westphalia as CDU leader and Prime Minister.
© Marcel Kusch / dpa
Laschet successor in North Rhine-Westphalia: Wüst is to be elected as the new head of the state CDU on Saturday
However, tension is guaranteed in Wüst's election, because the black-yellow alliance only has a wafer-thin majority of one MP.
Just 100 of the 199 seats in the state parliament are occupied by the CDU or FDP.
Any deviator would be poison.
Every single voice is all the more meaningful.
Wüst, who has Laschet's blessing, should take the first important step on Saturday.
At the state party conference in Bielefeld, 677 delegates vote on whether he will be the new chairman of the NRW CDU.
Since there seems to be no opposing candidate far and wide, this should only be a formality.
But the result already gives an indication of the extent to which Wüst can close the ranks behind him.
Laschet, who has headed the largest CDU state association with around 122,600 members since 2012, last delivered his best result in 2018 with 96.3 percent approval.
His public support should give Wüst a tailwind.
Laschet successor in North Rhine-Westphalia: CDU wants to apply for the election of the Prime Minister for October 27th
For the 46-year-old, it will continue on Sunday with a two-day closed meeting of the CDU parliamentary group in Kamp-Lintfort.
There the party will probably hold a special meeting for the election of the new prime minister for the following Wednesday.
From October 27th, Wüst could officially hold the scepter in his hand.
The state parliament is already preparing for an important day.
The vote will probably be the only item on the agenda.
However, given the tight majority, it is by no means certain whether a single ballot will be sufficient.
To make matters worse, possible illness-related absences in the government camp cannot be compensated for by possible abstentions in the opposition.
+
Then the fist: Armin Laschet (left) makes room for Hendrik Wüst in Düsseldorf.
© Marcel Kusch / dpa
Laschet successor in NRW: Opposition could send applicants against Wüst into the race
So it would not be a surprise to have to vote twice.
The state parliament detention.
In this case, according to a spokesman for the state parliament, the hurdle would drop.
Because if there is only one person to vote in the second round, it only takes one more yes-vote than no-votes are counted.
But if the opposition also sends an applicant into the race, a simple majority is sufficient.
Wüst is likely to come to terms with the fact that a joint alliance of the SPD, the Greens and the AfD can hardly be expected.
If, for example, a social democrat were to be elected with the votes of the 13 MPs right-wing populists, the outcry would be immense nationwide.
Incidentally, the end of a center-right government in favor of a center-left alliance would not be a worthwhile alternative for the AfD anyway.
So Wüst shouldn't face any competition.
He's got Laschet's voice in his pocket anyway.
The outgoing Prime Minister wants to vote as a member of the state parliament - almost a final service for the NRW CDU.
Before he then devotes himself entirely to the ailing federal CDU.
After all, it currently requires everyone's attention.
(mg)
List of rubric lists: © Marcel Kusch / dpa
