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New CDU head of state in North Rhine-Westphalia: Hendrik Wüst
Photo: Revierfoto / imago images / Revierfoto
Armin Laschet has given up the state chairmanship of the CDU in North Rhine-Westphalia.
Hendrik Wüst is the new chairman.
At a state party conference in Bielefeld, the state transport minister and prime minister-designate was elected as Laschet's successor with 98.3 percent.
The 46-year-old had no opponent.
645 votes in favor of the 656 eligible voters went to Wüst.
There were eleven no votes and no abstentions or invalid votes.
"Thank you very much for this gigantic result," exclaimed Wüst.
"I'll work my way out to justify this advance praise."
Laschet had proposed Wüst as his successor at the beginning of October.
As Prime Minister, Wüst Laschet is expected to inherit on Wednesday: Then the Düsseldorf state parliament will elect a new head of government in a special session.
Laschet, who did not run for a direct mandate in the Bundestag election, will move into the new Bundestag via the state list of his party. He must resign from his position as Prime Minister of North Rhine-Westphalia at the latest by the constituent session of the Bundestag on Tuesday because membership in a state government and in the Bundestag are not compatible. He had already announced in the Bundestag election campaign as a candidate for chancellor that he did not want to return to North Rhine-Westphalia.
Laschet led the CDU state association, the strongest regional association with around 117,000 members, since 2012. In his last speech as state party leader, Laschet had previously called on the NRW CDU to be united in the upcoming state election campaign and beyond.
Under his party leadership, the party had overcome its long-standing quarrels since 2012.
"The NRW-CDU must never again be at odds," said Laschet.
There are state elections in North Rhine-Westphalia on May 15, 2022.
Laschet also warned his party against talking about crisis scenarios after the Union's defeat in the federal elections.
Talking about the "greatest crisis of the CDU since 1945" does not inspire "any voter at all to re-elect the CDU," said Laschet.
Such statements are "complete nonsense".
Rather, the CDU party donation affair in 2000 was in case of doubt a major crisis for the party.
"Leave cups in the cupboard, approach things realistically," said Laschet.
Previously, Federal Health Minister and CDU Vice President Jens Spahn said on Deutschlandfunk that the CDU was in the greatest crisis in its history.
Spahn also took part as a delegate at the party conference of the NRW CDU.
mmq / dpa