Christian Democrat politician Kai Wegner is likely to become the new mayor of the German capital. This is the result of the conclusion of a coalition between members of the Berlin SPD and the CDU on Sunday.
54.3 percent of members of Berlin’s Socialist Party voted in favor of a coalition with the Christian Democratic Union (CDU). German (SPD), the party’s board of directors reported after counting the votes.
More than 12,000 of the 18,566 eligible voters in Berlin’s social democratic party took part in the vote.
First such mayor in 22 years
The current mayor of the capital Franziska Giffey intends to resign from office. Giffey has been in office since 2021, having previously served as Federal Minister for Family, Seniors, Women and Youth from 2018-21.
Berlin’s CDU leader Kai Wegner may be elected as the first mayor of the capital from Christian Democrats in 22 years on Thursday.
CDU candidate Kai Wegner and Franziska Giffey from the SPDEPA/CLEMENS BALANCE
The daily “Handelsblatt” points out that in the capital city SPD there were many reservations about cooperation with the CDU, and the continuation of the current coalition with the Greens and the Left, which has governed Berlin since 2016, was also considered.
These three parties again won the majority in the elections in February this year. However, the CDU was about 10 percent ahead of the SPD, which in turn won over the Greens by a narrow margin.
The regional board of the SPD opted for coalition negotiations with the CDU. Ultimately, the current mayor of Giffey, who is the head of the party in the region, also argued for this and was ready to resign from her current position.
Main photo source: EPA/CLEMENS BALANCE