Woidke Re-elected as Minister President of Brandenburg in Second Round
Dietmar Woidke has been re-elected as the Minister President of Brandenburg after securing 50 votes in the second round of voting, surpassing the minimum requirement of 45. This outcome came after he faced a setback in the first round, where he only managed to obtain 43 votes. Notably, the number of votes he received in the second round exceeded the total seats held by his coalition of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) and the newly formed BSW party, which together hold 46 of the 88 seats in the state parliament. This suggests that Woidke garnered support from some opposition members.
During the secret ballot, 36 members of the parliament voted against Woidke, while one abstained. Woidke has been in office since 2013, navigating through various coalition configurations. The coalition between the SPD and BSW is a novel arrangement in the state of Brandenburg, with BSW having only recently entered the parliament following its establishment earlier this year.
Due to the political landscape, characterized by a reluctance to form coalitions with the Alternative for Germany (AfD), the SPD and BSW coalition represents the most viable majority in the four-party parliament. An alliance between the SPD and the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) would have fallen short of a majority.
Woidke described his re-election as a significant expression of trust from the parliament, acknowledging the changing dynamics of political support compared to previous decades. He expressed satisfaction that a greater number of representatives supported him in the second round, emphasizing the need to validate this trust through effective governance.
In contrast, opposition parties, including the AfD and CDU, criticized Woidke's initial loss in the first round. AfD parliamentary leader Hans-Christoph Berndt referred to it as a 'humiliation' for Woidke, while CDU representative Jan Redmann remarked that if the coalition could not secure a majority, it undermined the foundation upon which the coalition was built.
Prior to the election, it was apparent that Woidke could not rely solely on the votes of his coalition partners. Notably, Sven Hornauf from BSW indicated he would not support Woidke in protest against the deployment of the Arrow 3 missile defense system.
In the coalition negotiations, BSW succeeded in asserting its stance on defense policy issues, leading to the inclusion of language in the coalition agreement that underscores a preference for diplomatic solutions over military escalation, particularly concerning the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
With the conclusion of the election, the new government can commence its operations approximately two and a half months after the state elections. The SPD will oversee six ministries, alongside the State Chancellery, while BSW will manage three ministries. Following Woidke's election, the appointed ministers were sworn into office. However, Hanka Mittelstädt, the designated Minister for Agriculture and Environment, is still awaiting her official appointment due to the need to finalize her separation from her agricultural business.
The rules governing the state government stipulate that members must not hold any other paid public office or engage in business activities simultaneously with their governmental roles.
