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Armin Laschet's unreserved commitment to Berlin was long overdue.
The fact that the CDU party leader and candidate for chancellor of the Union wants to switch to federal politics under all circumstances, even if he is defeated in the autumn, gives his ambitions the necessary credibility.
However, this clarification comes late.
Ever since his application for the party chairmanship, he has been grappling with the crucial question of how he feels about Berlin.
Laschet kept an option to return to North Rhine-Westphalia open for a long time and toyed with the idea of continuing as Prime Minister if necessary.
His months of waiting has particularly unsettled the North Rhine-Westphalian CDU, which is facing a major upheaval.
Laschet's clarification was necessary, but it does not go far enough.
The outgoing Prime Minister and CDU state chief would also have to explain how he envisions the political successor in North Rhine-Westphalia.
He must hand over the government in Düsseldorf at the latest when he is an official member of the Bundestag.
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The situation in the most populous federal state is complicated: Prime Minister can only be who is a member of the NRW state parliament, so it is in the state constitution.
Only a few leading Christian Democrats would realistically be considered as successors, most likely NRW Transport Minister Hendrik Wüst.
Laschet is silent on this, revealing that he does not see a clear favorite.
It would be important to determine the personnel in good time, because the next NRW state election will take place in May 2022.
There is little time for the successor to make himself known and to convince himself as the top candidate.
Hoping for the official bonus alone would be quite risky.
So far, Laschet has also shied away from a recommendation for the CDU state chairmanship.
The fact that a prime minister also leads the state party is an essential prerequisite for sufficient authority and power, as Laschet himself maintained.
The election of a new CDU state party leader would therefore send a signal for the office of head of government.
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This is another reason why Laschet is obviously hesitant.
Instead of a timely decision, he wants to clarify the leadership issue at a state party conference after the general election.
Until then, the CDU federal party leader would also remain chairman of the NRW CDU.
The fact that one of his closest confidants is now calling for an earlier date for the state party congress in the form of the North Rhine-Westphalian Interior Minister Herbert Reul and may want to run himself shows the incipient loss of authority of Laschet.
Four years after taking office, the laboriously achieved peace in the NRW CDU has become fragile again. There is a threat of an inheritance dispute that could also jeopardize the CDU's chances of being elected in May 2022 if Laschet does not speak a word of power soon.