Baden-Württemberg State Election 2026: A Two-Front Battle Between Greens and CDU
Southwest Greens selects Özdemir as their main representative.
Heidenheim - The Baden-Württemberg Greens have named Cem Özdemir as their top candidate for the 2026 state election, aiming to sustain the lead acquired during Winfried Kretschmann's 15-year tenure as Minister President. In the race for Kretschmann's succession, Özdemir faces CDU party chair and Landtag member Manuel Hagel, who won the backing of his party last weekend.
A former Federal Minister of Agriculture, Özdemir garnered 97% of votes from the party conference in Heidenheim to secure the Greens' candidate for the Ministry President position, receiving 194 delegates' votes, with only three against and three abstentions. As the second Green Minister President in the Federal Republic's history, Özdemir awaits the chance to usher in a fresh chapter for Baden-Württemberg.
Despite trailing the CDU in polls for months, the Greens still display resilience. In the latest SWR and "Stuttgarter Zeitung" poll, Özdemir outperformed his CDU opponent with 39% of respondents expressing support for him as Minister President, compared to 18% for Manuel Hagel.
"I do not wish to be an heir or successor," Özdemir said in his application speech. "I aspire to write a new chapter for Baden-Württemberg." While striving to embody a clear vision, Özdemir also intends to extend an open hand, refusing to stoke further division or opposition within the state.
Minister President Kretschmann endorsed Özdemir as a suitable candidate, lauding him as practical, grounded, and open to the world. Kretschmann emphasized the necessity of choosing a leader who can take charge immediately.
In addition to Özdemir's nomination, the party conference in Heidenheim also focuses on compiling the state list for the upcoming election—an unprecedented step as the new electoral law, introducing a second vote for the party’s state list, comes into effect for the first time.
However, Thekla Walker takes the top spot on the list due to a special Greens’ regulation, emphasizing gender equality. Özdemir appears on the list at the second position. Women are required to occupy at least half the positions, with the odd spots reserved for women, allowing men to vie for the second position only.
Cem Özdemir and Manuel Hagel will need to rally their bases and shore up support if they are to make their mark in the forthcoming contest. The political landscape unfolds as a continuous, taut duel between the Green Party and CDU, with the outcome eagerly anticipated by the residents of Baden-Württemberg.
- The upcoming Baden-Württemberg State Election in 2026 promises a significant battle in the realm of both politics and environmental policy-and-legislation, as the Greens, led by Cem Özdemir, compete against the CDU.
- As the election approaches, the general news is filled with updates on the race between Cem Özdemir (Greens) and Manuel Hagel (CDU), two contenders vying for the position of Minister President, whose ideas and policies could shape the environmental future of Baden-Württemberg.
