Markus Söder, the dominant figure in Bavaria's conservative Christian Social Union (CSU), has been the state premier for five years. Despite the CSU's declining popularity, Söder maintains a strong presence through his entertaining and lighthearted style, often using social media to engage with voters. He has ambitions for higher office, but his chances of becoming the CDU/CSU's chancellor candidate seem doubtful, as he faces competition within his own party and the rising power of rival parties. Söder's political future depends on the success of Bavaria and the CSU.
Populism is dominating the campaign for the upcoming Bavarian state election, with Markus Söder of the Christian Social Union (CSU) and Hubert Aiwanger of the Free Voters (FW) employing populist tactics to appeal to voters. Söder, the current state premier, presents himself as a populist and emphasizes his love for Bavarian food and culture. Aiwanger, the deputy state premier, has gained popularity with his "beer tent speeches" and rhetoric about "taking back democracy." The CSU/FW coalition, though strained, is expected to continue, as Söder aims to prevent losing more CSU voters to the right. The Greens and the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) are also competing for support in Bavaria.
Bavaria's Premier Markus Söder has decided not to dismiss his deputy Hubert Aiwanger, despite accusations of distributing an antisemitic flyer during his school days and making antisemitic jokes. Söder stated that since there was no proof that Aiwanger wrote the pamphlet himself and the incident occurred 35 years ago, a dismissal would not be proportionate. However, senior members of Chancellor Olaf Scholz's ruling coalition criticized Söder's decision, with Economy Minister Robert Habeck calling it "unfortunately not a good one" and Interior Minister Nancy Faeser accusing Söder of damaging Germany's international reputation.
Hubert Aiwanger, deputy premier and economy minister of Bavaria, admitted to being involved in distributing an antisemitic leaflet during his high school years, sparking controversy and calls for his resignation. Aiwanger is the leader of the right-wing Free Voters party, which has gained popularity in Bavaria. The scandal could impact both Aiwanger's party and Bavaria's Premier Markus Söder, who aims to become chancellor. The leaflet described a fictional competition with a macabre reference to Auschwitz. Aiwanger denies authorship, but former teachers and an expert report suggest otherwise. The incident may affect the upcoming state election in Bavaria.
Bavarian Premier Markus Söder has proposed that his state could take control of the Isar 2 nuclear power plant, which was permanently taken off the grid along with two other remaining power stations. Söder has been a critic of Germany's decision to transition away from nuclear energy and has called for an amendment to the Atomic Energy Act to hand control of nuclear power from the federal to the state level. However, Germany's three-party governing coalition committed to ending the country's reliance on nuclear power when it took office in December 2021, making Söder's call unlikely to be heeded.
