So far, former Federal Interior Minister Thomas de Maizière stood in the CDU presidium for the East German states. Although he is a native Wessi, but has his political home in Saxony for a long time. Now de Maizière resigns, and Saxony's prime minister, Michael Kretschmer, comes into play as the successor to the election at the federal party conference in December. "Saxony and the East need a strong voice in the CDU party leadership in Berlin," he told the SPIEGEL. "When it comes to structural change in Lusatia and Central Germany, rural development and the expansion of digital infrastructure, we need a clear commitment from the federal party."
For Kretschmer the post is also important because next year in Saxony is elected. His CDU state executive has already nominated him. Apart from him, the provincial party Marco Wanderwitz, Parliamentary State Secretary at Federal Interior Minister Horst Seehofer, wants to send for the CDU federal executive into the race. "We Saxons assume that two candidates for the party leadership are not an improper demand," says Wanderwitz. So far, Saxony is represented in the federal executive by Bundestag parliamentary vice-Arnold Vaatz, who will not compete again.
The personal details could still cause controversy, as yet another East German CDU country chief could raise the finger for one of the seven Beisitzerplätze in the Bureau: Thuringia's CDU leader Mike Mohring, who wants to try in his state election next year, the left Prime Minister Bodo To defeat Ramelow, should be interested in a candidacy, as the "Thuringian General" reports.
DPA
CDU country chief in Thuringia, Mike Mohring
Mohring has not yet officially applied. But his supporters point out that Kretschmer, as acting Prime Minister, could also go to the Bureau without election because he could be co-opted. The Thuringian CDU wants to decide in their next board meeting, if they want to set up Mohring as a candidate for the presidency.