Schleswig-Holstein election: This is how the press evaluates Daniel Günther’s victory

Prime Minister Daniel Günther is the clear winner of the state elections in Schleswig-Holstein. With 43.4 percent of the votes, his CDU achieved the best result in the federal state since 1983, as the election management announced on Monday night in Kiel. The SPD, on the other hand, slipped to its historically worst result with 16.0 percent and even fell behind the Greens, who in turn achieved a record success with 18.3 percent. The South Schleswig Voters’ Association (SSW) also succeeded with 5.7 percent. The FDP fell to 6.4 percent and the AfD even failed at the five percent hurdle with 4.4 percent and has to leave a state parliament for the first time.

Günther, who has previously ruled Schleswig-Holstein with the Greens and the FDP in a Jamaica coalition, will in future only be dependent on one coalition partner. He did not show any preference on election night. “We will work with the party and parties that have stayed the course of the past five years,” he said.

The press comments on the election in Schleswig-Holstein

“Central Bavarian Newspaper” (Regensburg): “Daniel Günther, who is highly regarded far beyond the CDU, dominated the elections in the north in a way that many hardly thought possible. However, the Kiel result was less of a success for the CDU federal leader Friedrich Merz, who had made himself rare in the northern election campaign and had preferred to go to Kiev.The hearty, historical gossip for the SPD was less a reminder for the hesitant Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Berlin, but more the receipt for a messed-up election campaign with the little-known embarrassment candidate Thomas Losse-Müller.”

“Badish newspaper” (Freiburg): “Daniel Günther’s triumph in Schleswig-Holstein is based primarily on the fact that the popular prime minister gives people between the North Sea and Baltic Sea the feeling that a sense of homeland and a new beginning are not contradictory. The popular head of government embodies this with his calm, integrative political style . In terms of content, the previous Jamaica alliance of Günther’s CDU with the Greens and FDP stands for this mix of down-to-earthness and modernity in Kiel. (…) Now his own success stands in his way. Günther only needs a partner to govern. (. ..) No matter how he decides: Günther shows in Kiel that Jamaica can be a successful alternative to the traffic light.That makes him a man in the CDU, which was last seen almost exclusively in the person of Friedrich Merz the future.”

“Weser Courier” (Bremen): “The bottom line is that the election for politics at federal level is only of importance in one respect that should not be underestimated. Daniel Günther’s influence in Berlin will continue to increase after this remarkable election result. And if one day a successor to Friedrich Merz is sought , leads – as of now – no way around the 48-year-old.”

“people’s voice” (Magdeburg): “Now he’s definitely the man of the future in the CDU. Daniel Günther has shown that he pulls as a person. And his profile, which depicts the modern CDU that harmonizes with the Greens, is also well received. The comparison with the sweeping SPD election winner in Saarland, Anke Rehlinger, is obvious. Regardless of their parties, both embody the current political center and cultivate a relaxed, integrative, citizen-oriented political style. It was a mistake for the SPD in the north to make Thomas Losse-Müller the top candidate to make. As a party newcomer, he could neither mobilize the comrades nor compete with the people in the country. That cost a few percent more votes. It will now be exciting when it comes to forming a coalition. Just a few years ago, the alliance with the FDP would have been there certain. With Günther, however, black and green would also be conceivable. That would be a signal for the program of the future.”

“Heilbronn voice”: “There was never any doubt about Daniel Günther’s clear victory, he was clearly ahead in terms of popularity and competence. It’s Günther’s calm and pragmatic manner that – especially in these turbulent times – goes down well with the voters. He managed to do what didn’t want to work in the federal government: to weld together a stable alliance of CDU, Greens and FDP.CDU leader Friedrich Merz, until recently not exactly noticed as a fervent admirer of Günther, celebrates a victory that is not too much to be credited to him can ascribe a lot. After the long Union descent, he is still tailwind for the NRW-CDU on Sunday.”

“Handelsblatt” (Düsseldorf): “In recent years there has been a lot of talk about the decline of the party state. The self-appointed people’s parties hardly have any binding power anymore. It was also true. Results above the important 30 percent mark in the last federal election for the Union and the SPD were in distant. Olaf Scholz is a chancellor whose party only got a quarter of the votes. But after Daniel Günther’s brilliant election victory in Schleswig-Holstein, a turnaround seems to be in the offing in the federal states. (…) While the last “While the SPD and Union seemed weak and tired in the Bundestag elections, a new generation of politicians is growing up in the federal states who govern actively and take into account the differentiated views of the citizens. The Greens are real masters at this, and they were able to achieve a strong result in Kiel.”

“A hint as to what winners look like in politics”

“Northwest Newspaper” (Oldenburg): “Both Günther’s clear victory and the bitter defeat of his SPD challenger Thomas Losse-Müller are primarily to be found in the country and only secondarily in federal politics. Daniel Günther hardly made any mistakes as incumbent Prime Minister, Jamaica has coalition and gave people that feeling of stability and security that is also reflected in satisfaction surveys: It is well known that the happiest Germans live in Schleswig-Holstein.”

“southern courier” (Constance): “A signal for the federal government? A surprise success for the new federal chairman Friedrich Merz, whose campaign trips took him to Kyiv? Rather less. As in Saarland, the result in Schleswig-Holstein can be explained primarily by the different appeal of the Top candidates Günther has earned the trust of voters in his state over the past five years, while the Social Democrats have opted for a new face – an experiment that took revenge on election night noticed as a Merz supporter. Daniel Günther represents a CDU like Angela Merkel formed and pushed during the years of her chancellorship. This makes it difficult for Merz to pin the success of the party friend on her own chest. Rather, Günther falls with this election result inevitably to a larger role in the federal CDU. The incumbent party leader has every reason to reject the young K to view competitors with suspicion.”

“Reutlingen General Gazette”:“Nevertheless, the state elections in Schleswig-Holstein and Saarland offer an indication of what winners look like in politics. They should be close to the people and reconcile instead of polarizing. Daniel Günther from the CDU fulfills this role perfectly. He is a born moderator. Some He even appeared to conservatives as not being conservative enough. Not to the citizens. The moderate Günther won a convincing election victory. This description also applied to Anke Rehlinger (SPD) in Saarland. That is why she was able to take over the office of Prime Minister from Tobias Hans (CDU). In Kiel, on the other hand, the comrades put forward a little-known and unenthusiastic candidate. They received the receipt for this with a historically poor election result. The Greens stuck to the recipe for success in state elections. With a popular top candidate, they were able to make significant gains. The attraction of the candidate counts.”