Markus Söder has never been known for his modesty. So it shouldn’t come as a surprise to the willing political observer that the Bavarian Prime Minister thinks his state is the best. In his opinion, this will continue to be the case in the future.
Bavaria’s Prime Minister Markus Söder sees himself and his party well prepared for next year’s state elections. “Bavaria is doing better than all other federal states,” said Söder in the ZDF summer interview, which was recorded in Nuremberg and broadcast on ZDF in the evening. “We’re doing so well that we’re paying nine billion (euro) state financial equalization to others,” emphasized the CSU party leader.
“So far we have guided Bavaria well through the crises,” said Söder. According to estimates by the State Office for Health and Food Safety, the Bavarian government saved the lives of 130,000 people in the course of the corona pandemic. “My only goal is for us to get through the next crisis well. I think we’ll do that better than many others.”
Federal policy, on the other hand, is a different matter. In the interview, Söder fundamentally questioned the strategy of the federal government in the fight against the energy crisis. “(Russia’s President Vladimir) Putin is playing a game with us and the question is whether we are properly prepared for this game.” And further: “There is a danger that we will face considerable distortions and problems.” Prices exploded, the supply situation became more difficult. So far, despite the government’s attempts, there is no adequate substitute for Russian gas.
At the same time, Russia is taking in more money from Germany than before the crisis. “Germany has made a decision, namely to deliver fewer weapons, but to take a different approach to energy. But now Germany, the German federal government, must find a way that our country doesn’t suffer so much,” said Söder.
The head of state defended the Bavarian approach to renewable energies. “Bavaria provides the largest share of renewable energies in Germany. That’s just a fact.” Bavaria is the leader among the federal states when it comes to new construction. In the case of wind energy, the construction of 1,000 turbines in Bavaria is likely. In addition, there are plans for natural CO2 storage in moors, agricultural photovoltaics and the expansion of bioenergy and hydropower.
“We spend one billion euros a year on renewable energies,” said Söder. On the subject, the Free State is “like Bayern Munich in football – of course we always want to get better, but we don’t even see the others there.” Bavaria is also a leader in e-mobility.
In one thing, however, Söder is modest: he currently considers an absolute majority – such as the CSU was once able to get in Bavaria – to be neither feasible nor desirable. An absolute majority seems more like hubris these days, said Söder. Bavaria has the special situation that the current coalition partner Freie Wahler picks up part of the votes from the CSU camp.
