State government: Change of leadership in Lower Saxony: Weil hands over to Lies

Lower Saxony’s long -time Prime Minister Stephan Weil stops. In May, the 66-year-old withdraws both as a SPD state chairman and as head of government. “I have the impression that it is time to take shorter,” said Weil – and referred to his advanced age. He found the most recent Bundestag election campaign to be particularly powerful, and he also suffered from sleep disorders.

The country’s Economic Minister, Olaf Lies. The 57-year-old was already head of state of the SPD from 2010 to 2012 and even wanted to become prime minister at the time. Before the 2013 state election, he had to leave the SPD top candidate after a member survey because. Twelve years as a minister later, he will now become head of government – because the former competitor of all people lifted him into the State Chancellery.

Only two state chiefs are in office longer

An era ends in Lower Saxony with the term of Weil. Only two current prime ministers are in office longer: Reiner Haseloff in Saxony-Anhalt and Winfried Kretschmann in Baden-Württemberg. The Lower Saxony record by Ernst Albrecht (CDU) is missed by the early retreat: The father of EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen was 14 years of head of government.

For the red-green state government, however, it should continue, as the designated successor announced. Even more: “The goal is to have a red-green state government even after 2027.” Then the next state election is expected to take place in Lower Saxony.

“Prince Charles von der Leine”

The roots of the handover of the office lie in an SPD membership decision in November 2011. Before the 2013 state election, the Social Democrats had the comrades vote who should challenge the Prime Minister David McAllister from the CDU at the time. The eloquent SPD state chairwoman reads, a human catcher and hug-or the more experienced, but also pale lawyer because as the mayor of Hanover?

At that time, we were just under 53 to 46 percent. He took over the top candidate, the state presidency that had previously been held, and was elected prime minister. However, read at his side – in the shadow of Weil, but as a potential crown prince. Or, as the “taz” formulated it: as “Prince Charles von der Leine”. In the three governments of Weil, Lies was only economic, then environmental and again economics minister.

Two donkeys, three dogs, two mini wines

The change to read is not a real fresh start. A different type than because the trained electrical engineer is already, rather a type of human friend than the bureaucrat.

The Friesländer was born in Wilhelmshaven and still lives in Sande not far away. He is married, has two daughters – and many animals: chickens, cats, two Göttingen mini wines, two donkeys and three dogs, as the “Hannoversche Allgemeine” reported.

In 2019, Lies almost left politics

Once, however, the unwritten plan from switching to the State Chancellery would have almost burst: In summer 2019, it 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. Lies had just been involved in the ongoing coalition negotiations in the federal government as head of the SPD working group for energy and climate.

Crisis manager because was a constant in restless times

The SPD calculation behind the transfer of power in Hanover reads: Lies now has two years to work out an office bonus until the state election.

The successor of “state father” because of being a challenge is still a challenge. Weil was unchallenged in the party, with his calm, down -to -earth manner, he managed that the SPD in the country recently achieved better and better election results than nationwide. The regional association is represented in Berlin, among others, with party leader Lars Klingbeil and Defense Minister Boris Pistorius Stark. And: because as a bridge builder between state and federal politics, also without their own leadership role in the Federal SPD.

Opposition sees because of responsibility for the VW crisis

We were often asked in the country as a crisis manager, not least in corona pandemic. While others rely on pithy sayings and alone, he always looked for the consensus and compromise.

Because it was a part-time office as a VW supervisory board in the meantime: The diesel affair at Volkswagen brought the auto giants into disrepute-but at least the state treasury was paying a fine of one billion euros.

However, the current lulls at VW also clouds the mood in Lower Saxony’s economy as a whole. Hustet VW, Lower Saxony has flu, it is said. According to the opposition, Weil, as a long -standing supervisory board, bears responsibility for this due to the focus on electromobility decided at this time. The country holds 20 percent of the voting rights in the VW group.

Weil rejects the allegation of the word

The CDU also accuses Weil because it had asserted it over the years that it will remain in office until the next election, provided that his health allows. Because this reproach rejected this allegation – but admitted that the consideration of the result in the Bundestag election had now also played a role.

It was wrong to continue, he recognized. “This is not good for me, it is not good for the country and for the SPD,” said Weil.