With the resignation of Malu Dreyer, an era in the country is coming to an end. The election of her successor is considered a formality. Nevertheless, the excitement in Mainz is palpable.
The Rhineland-Palatinate state parliament is electing a new prime minister today. The current Minister of Labor and Social Affairs, Alexander Schweitzer, is to succeed Malu Dreyer (both SPD), who is popular across party lines. The 63-year-old has announced her retirement from politics after eleven years as head of government. She justified the move by saying that she no longer has the strength for the office. Dreyer has been suffering from multiple sclerosis for some time. She suggested the 50-year-old Schweitzer as her successor.
Schweitzer needs 51 votes from the 101 MPs to be elected prime minister. The three traffic light factions together have 54 votes – 3 more than necessary. The SPD has 39 seats, the Greens 9 and the FDP 6. The election is considered a formality. Schweitzer’s wife and his 14 and 15 year old sons are expected in the state parliament in Mainz.
State Parliament President Hendrik Hering (SPD) will first read out Dreyer’s letter of resignation at around 1 p.m. Short speeches by Hering and Dreyer are planned after this. The strongest parliamentary group in government – the SPD – will then propose a new Prime Minister. After the secret ballot and acceptance of the election, the State Parliament President will swear in the new Prime Minister. The Palatinate native will then also give a speech. His first government statement is not expected until after the summer break.
Afterwards, Dörte Schall (SPD) will be sworn in as the new minister in the State Chancellery. The 46-year-old native of Ludwigshafen in North Rhine-Westphalia will take over Schweitzer’s ministry. This means she will be responsible for social affairs, employment, transformation and digitalization. The rest of the Council of Ministers will remain unchanged.
Dreyer’s retirement marks the end of an era in Rhineland-Palatinate. The likeable and empathetic politician had already sat at the cabinet table for eleven years as Minister of Social Affairs before moving to the State Chancellery. Kurt Beck had appointed her as his successor. Dreyer was the first woman to hold the office in Rhineland-Palatinate and also a pioneer with a traffic light government.
Like Dreyer, Schweitzer is a lawyer, social politician and native of the Palatinate. Dreyer now lives in Trier, while Schweitzer continues to live in Bad Bergzabern. He has long been considered a candidate to succeed her. But he is not the only one. The announcement of the change three weeks ago came surprisingly quickly after the European and local elections. However, the timing is considered to be optimal for Schweitzer to make himself known in office until the state elections in 2026.
Source: Stern
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