STUTTGART (dpa-AFX) – Tactical maneuver before the election: The AfD parliamentary group in the state parliament of Baden-Württemberg proposed CDU leader Manuel Hagel as a candidate to Cem Özdemir (Greens) for the office of Prime Minister – but he rejected it before the election. Hagel received 34 votes in the secret ballot, and there are 35 members of the AfD parliamentary group. The parliamentary director of the AfD parliamentary group, Miguel Klauß, proposed Hagel as a candidate.
“I am not available for this proposal,” Hagel replied before the election. It was agreed with the Greens that they would elect Özdemir as Prime Minister. Even after the election, the Christian Democrats stand for stability, reliability and credibility. There is a responsibility that is greater than oneself, he said in the direction of the AfD.
With the maneuver, the right-wing populists wanted to put pressure on the CDU MPs, who had to choose between Özdemir and their own party leader. From the point of view of observers, the AfD also wants to make visible a rift in the CDU.
At least 19 dissenters
The AfD had already offered the CDU several times in advance to jointly elect Hagel as Prime Minister. Hagel had already ruled this out on election evening: “It is out of the question for me that I would be elected Prime Minister with votes from the AfD, even if there is a mathematical possibility.”
Özdemir was the joint candidate of the Greens and CDU for the election of Prime Minister. He and Hagel signed the coalition agreement for the new Green-Black coalition on Monday. Hagel was appointed Interior Minister and Deputy Prime Minister.
In the end, the Greens and CDU did not vote unanimously for Özdemir. At least 19 MPs from the ranks of the governing coalition refused to support the new head of government.
“It’s always the case that a few would have wished to become a minister or state secretary,” explained Özdemir. “Everyone can’t become ministers and state secretaries. I understand that some people are disappointed. We can handle that.” After the election, Hagel spoke of a “very good result”. It is pointless to think about whether he would have wished for a better result./poi/DP/men