Enlarge image
Daniel Günther (right) with CDU leader Friedrich Merz (centre) and NRW Prime Minister Hendrik Wüst
Photo: Michael Kappeler / dpa
After his triumph in the state elections in Schleswig-Holstein, Prime Minister Daniel Günther can choose his future government partner.
His CDU only needs one coalition partner and not two as in the previous Jamaican coalition.
Cooperation with the FDP or the Greens is obvious.
But even at a press conference in Berlin with party leader Friedrich Merz, the CDU politician did not specify what he tends to do.
Although Günther announced talks with both previous coalition partners, he did not say who he would contact first.
Both the Greens and the FDP have already made it clear that they are also available for a two-party alliance.
In the talks, "we explore what's possible," he said to Günther.
Günther's CDU clearly won the state election on Sunday with 43.4 percent of the votes (plus 11.4 points).
The SPD, on the other hand, slipped to its historically worst result in the federal state with 16.0 percent (minus 11.3 points) and even fell behind the Greens.
They, in turn, achieved their best election result to date in a state election in Schleswig-Holstein (plus 5.4 points) with 18.3 percent.
The FDP came to 6.4 percent (minus 5.1 points).
"We showed a new style," said Günther.
When it came to crisis issues such as the pandemic, the opposition sat at the table during talks.
"Cohesion is important in a crisis." This style should be imitated at the federal level, he teased the traffic light coalition in Berlin.
"Diversity and unity are the recipe for success for us in Schleswig-Holstein," Günther praised himself and the CDU.
Because the Union owes its success to a modern and diverse list of candidates.
Günther promotes the quota
Merz announced that as a lesson from the elections in Schleswig-Holstein, the party would expand and focus more on women and people with a migration background.
In the north, "a large number of women" and "one person with a Turkish-Kurdish background" successfully ran for the CDU, said Merz.
The CDU as a whole must also position itself more broadly in this regard - "that is the message from Schleswig-Holstein".
"The topic of diversity in the personal representation of the Union" was discussed in detail in the CDU committee meetings in the morning, reported Merz.
Merz did not comment on the question of whether, unlike in the past, he would support a quota system.
The question of how to increase the participation of women in party work is now being discussed internally;
a decision will be made at the party congress in early September.
"It's the result that counts for me, not the path," Merz was open to different approaches.
Günther said he was promoting the quota.
It is important that the party conference sets an example here.
CDU Vice Karin Prien, who is also Minister of Education in Schleswig-Holstein, also advocated a fixed quota for women.
This is a "central issue" for the party.
Party leader Merz certified Günther an "outstanding success" in the state elections.
Günther is also an “outstanding prime minister”.
When asked if he considered Günther and the NRW Prime Minister Hendrik Wüst, who was also present, to be competitors, Merz replied: "I'm happy about everyone who is successful in the CDU."
Compliments from Ramelow
Günther also received praise from another camp - from Thuringia's Prime Minister Bodo Ramelow.
"I already congratulated colleague Günther last night," the left-wing politician told SPIEGEL.
»I appreciate his political style and respect the way he moderates and represents three parties well and successfully.
This is a clever and modern way of shaping politics.
The sovereign likes it and that's why it's a brilliant success.« (Read an interview with Günther and Ramelow here).
as /til/dpa/AFP