Olaf Lies is supposed to become prime minister – but who is the politician?

Lower Saxony faces a change: Stephan Weil has announced his retirement after twelve years as Prime Minister. In addition, the 66-year-old also wants to hand over the SPD state chair, which he has been holding since 2012. Minister of Economics Olaf Lies is said to inherit him in both offices.

Lies is a blank sheet and not exactly a celebrity in Lower Saxony, but has shaped state politics in the northern German state for many years. He had been a favorite for his successor for some time. Because called a “top performer of state politics”. Lies is “recognized” in Lower Saxony.

Lies has been in the cabinet since the SPD with Stephan Weil took over again after ten years of the CDU government after ten years of the CDU government. In the first legislative period as Minister for Economic Affairs, Labor and Transport, then as the Environment Minister. In 2022 he returned to the Ministry of Economic Affairs. There he is also responsible for building, transport and digitization.

As a minister, the 57-year-old works closely together, the head of government has built him up as his successor. The name of Lies has been circulating for months, which is only to take over the office of Weil and then start as a top candidate in the 2027 state election.

But it could have happened the other way around: Lies was already head of the Lower Saxony SPD from 2010 to 2012 and at that time applied for the top candidate in the state election. His opposite candidate: Stephan Weil, then Mayor of Hanover. Because it prevailed, won the election and became the father of the country for more than a decade.

It was a humiliation for Lies, but at least he remained the crown prince role. In the meantime, “a time of trust and a time of friendship emerged from this period of competition,” says Lies. In the cabinet, he subordinated himself silently, the “Spiegel” characterizes the Minister of Economic Affairs as “clearer and problem solver”. Once the unwritten plan would have been almost bursting from moving to the state chancellery: in summer 2019, Lies had a highly endowed offer from the BDEW energy lobby association-and started brooding. Finally remained, it was no longer publicly registering any other claims and still retained great influence within the party.

And maybe Lies can also be recommended for larger tasks: SPD greats such as Sigmar Gabriel, Gerhard Schröder, Lars Klingbeil or Boris Pistorius started their way to top offices from Lower Saxony.

Lies was born in Wilhelmshaven and studied electrical engineering there. At the Wilhelmshaven University of Applied Sciences, he worked as a research assistant and later as chairman of the staff council. In 2002 he joined the SPD. Lies came to local politics through the trade union work at Verdi, and he began his political career in the municipal council in Sande (Friesland district).

Lies worked up to the deputy district administrator and changed from local politics: in 2008 he moved to the Lower Saxony state parliament for the first time. In the following three elections he also won the direct mandate in his constituency. Lies mentions renewable energies, coastal protection and social housing on his homepage as important topics. He is married, has two daughters – and many animals: chickens, cats, two Göttingen mini wines, two donkeys and three dogs. As Prime Minister, Lies wants to “convince people again that democracy is something good and moves”.

Sources: ,, news agency dpa