The Hessian state parliament president Boris Rhein (CDU) will stand for election as prime minister in parliament at the end of May.

As expected, 130 leading members of his party asked him to do this in a closed meeting in Fulda on Friday.

The fifty-year-old lawyer is to succeed Volker Bouffier not only as head of government, but also as party leader.

Bouffier explained when he presented Rhein to the public that both offices were in one hand.

Ewald Hetrodt

Correspondent for the Rhein-Main-Zeitung in Wiesbaden.

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According to Bouffier, it was "a great pleasure" that the party followed his proposal with its "traditional and legendary unity".

She is now opening a new chapter of success and granting Rhein "the best support that a party can give".

Rhein spoke of a "transition in friendship and agreement" and turned to Bouffier.

The fact that the relationship between the two was not considered the best in the past did not matter on Friday.

Rhein thanked Bouffier for "the style and size" with which he had arranged his successor.

This is "unprecedented in Germany".

"Very close and trusting relationship"

The party friends gave their recommendation in an open vote unanimously.

He was overwhelmed by this signal and extremely grateful for it, said Rhein.

It would make it easier for him to start in the new position if the prime minister and the party were so united behind him.

The black-green coalition that is to elect Rhein as head of government has a majority of one vote in the state parliament.

Rhein said he has had a very close and trusting relationship with his coalition partner for years.

In his hometown of Frankfurt, he signed two coalition agreements with the Greens.

However, Rhein was also outraged when the long-standing coalition partner of the CDU suddenly terminated the cooperation after the local elections almost a year ago.

The Hessian coalition agreement will of course continue to apply and will be implemented, said Rhein.

Both the Greens and he attached great importance to this.

Bouffier said now is the right time for a change at the top.

"CDU and Bündnis 90/Die Grünen form a stable government coalition, and I am convinced that this will continue successfully without me." The coalition partner reacted immediately.

"We are confident that we will continue to work successfully with Boris Rhein," said a press release by parliamentary group leader Mathias Wagner.

Younger, more feminine and more colourful

The two did not want to comment on speculation about a CDU personnel shift in the cabinet and parliamentary group.

"Volker Bouffier and I thought about a lot," said Rhein.

However, he will “not formulate personnel plans in the next few weeks and months”.

This commands him respect for the position of prime minister and for his own office as president of the state parliament.

Of course, he will continue to do this as impartially as before until the end of May.

The CDU wants to set up the Rhine as a "citizens' and hands-on party".

She must be "younger, more feminine and more colourful".

In the closed conference, it became clear that the CDU was eager to succeed in the state elections in autumn 2023.

Bouffier looked back briefly on the 27 years in which he held government responsibilities in Hesse.

He has been head of government for almost twelve years, the longest-serving in the republic.

After such a long term in office, it was necessary to clarify for yourself and the public whether you "should, want to or can continue to hold office".

This is not an easy decision, said the seventy-year-old.

But political leadership means, above all, responsibility.

Bouffier repeatedly emphasized that he had already decided in July last year to bring about a change this spring.

Rhein said he had known "for some time" that Bouffier would propose him as his successor.

He did not want to be more specific when asked.

Only so much: "If the opportunity arises, of course one reaches for such an office."