Stefan Evers, the CDU’s top candidate in Berlin’s election, is stepping into the role of chair of the party’s parliamentary group in the state parliament. The openly gay politician was elected with a broad majority of 93.75 percent, according to a faction spokesperson. In the session inside the state legislature, 30 lawmakers voted for Evers and two voted against him, while two were absent.
“For us, the goal now is to present the CDU as stable, clear, and capable of acting, and to make it clear that the city’s future is at stake,” said the new faction leader, who currently serves as Berlin’s finance and cultural affairs senator in the outgoing black-red government.
“I have always stressed that we are ready to talk with all parties in the center,” he added. “The sentiment in both of the center-left parties, SPD and Greens, is such that they would first like to speak with the Left,” Evers said. “We will observe and follow the process closely.”
In last Sunday’s Berlin state election, the CDU secured 18.8 percent of the vote, placing it behind the Left with 25.7 percent and making it the second-largest party. By contrast, in the 2023 Abgeordnetenhaus election, the CDU had been the clear winner with 28.2 percent. Consequently, the CDU parliamentary group shrank from 52 to 34 seats. The incumbent group leader Dirk Stettner did not return to Parliament.
From a numerical standpoint, three-party coalitions are possible: Left, Greens (14.3 percent), and SPD (12.1 percent), or CDU, Greens, and SPD. The exploratory talks between the parties have not yet begun. The Left plans to discuss the path forward at a party conference on Friday.
