With Prime Minister Stephan Weil at the helm, the Lower Saxony Social Democrats are going into the state elections in autumn.

At a state representative meeting on Saturday in Hildesheim, he received 100 percent of the 188 votes cast.

There was no opponent for the 63-year-old.

It would be Weil's third term.

The CDU also drew up its state list on Saturday.

Economics Minister Bernd Althusmann becomes Weil's challenger.

According to a survey from early May, the SPD was seven percentage points ahead of the Christian Democrats.

Weil wants to establish Lower Saxony as a leading energy state

Health Minister Daniela Behrens was elected second on the SPD list.

Weil said that Behrens had become a “shooting star” in Lower Saxony state politics and gained a lot of trust with her politics in the corona pandemic.

During the legislative period, the 54-year-old became a minister.

Third place on the list went to Environment Minister Olaf Lies.

Interior Minister Boris Pistorius and Minister of Education Grant Hendrik Tonne were also voted into the top ten.

At the state party conference on Sunday, the program for the state elections on October 9th will be discussed.

In his speech, Weil emphasized that Lower Saxony has always been in good hands in recent years - whether with the large number of immigrants, the Corona crisis or the effects of the war in Ukraine.

Because Lower Saxony wants to establish itself as a leading energy state - energy imports should come to Germany via Lower Saxony ports.

Wilhelmshaven is on the verge of becoming Germany's "energy hub".

A terminal is to be built in the city where liquefied natural gas (LNG) will arrive.

With regard to the transformation of the economy, the head of government emphasized: "We want to seize these opportunities, and we will seize these opportunities."

The SPD hopes for red-green

The Prime Minister reiterated some of his party's demands for the state elections - such as tablets for all schoolchildren to rent and a higher starting salary for teachers.

This should lead to fewer young teachers going to another federal state because they receive more money there.

In this school year, the provision of lessons in the federal state fell to its lowest level since 2002.

Weil did not name a preference for a coalition partner.

However, both parties have agreed that the coalition of SPD and CDU should not be continued if possible.

The latest polls showed a majority for a coalition of SPD and Greens - in this constellation, Weil governed in his first term.