Brandenburg’s Minister of the Interior Michael Stübgen (63, CDU) no longer occurs Photo: Bernd Settnik/dpa
By Michael Sauerbier
The power struggle for Brandenburg’s CDU leadership has been decided. Interior Minister Michael Stübgen (63) is no longer running for the top office. In two years he will also resign as Deputy Prime Minister.
On Friday evening, Stübgen announced his decision to the CDU board in Potsdam. At the party conference on March 23, he will no longer run for the presidency. Until then, a member survey should decide on the new party leader. For the first time in Brandenburg.
The CDU district associations can nominate candidates until January 6th. Certainly there: parliamentary group leader Jan Redmann (42), who has been sawing Stübgen’s chair for a long time – and shines in the state parliament with fiery speeches.
CDU faction leader Jan Redmann (42) is the most promising candidate for party chairmanship Photo: dpa Photo: picture alliance/dpa
Now Redmann’s time seems to have come. Stübgen managed to keep the often quarreling Christian Democrats together after the 15% election defeat in 2019. But in polls, the CDU does not get over 17 percent.
Redmann did not want to comment yesterday. That will change quickly. One thing is clear: the next party leader will appear in 2024 as the CDU top candidate against SPD leader Dietmar Woidke (61). As Prime Minister, he has to maintain neutrality, while Redmann can bang the drum without government office.
After the state elections, Stübgen also steps down as a minister. He could then retire at 65 – and indulge in his hobby: offshore sailing, finally beyond the Baltic Sea.
