The Christian Democratic Union (CDU) in Schleswig-Holstein is entering the state election with Minister-President Daniel Günther with Sebastian Lechner as its lead candidate 2027 state election. At the state list selection meeting on 14 November in Neumünster he received 239 votes. Seven delegates voted against him and one abstained. Günther therefore received 96.76 per cent.
The state election is scheduled for 18 April 2027. For Günther, who has been Minister-President since 2017, this will be his party’s third election with him as lead candidate. He wants to make the CDU the strongest party once again and remain head of government after the election.
At the previous state election in 2022, the CDU won 43.4 per cent, falling one seat short of an absolute majority in parliament. It has governed with the Greens ever since. Günther said in Neumünster that he was not standing to achieve a worse result than last time. He pointed out that opinion poll ratings had initially been poor before the 2022 election too.
Behind Günther on the state list are state parliament president Kristina Herbst, CDU parliamentary group leader Tobias Koch and the group’s parliamentary secretary, Birte Glißmann. Secretary-General Lukas Kilian is in fifth place. After the individual vote on Günther, delegates selected the remaining places on the list together. The list comprises 90 candidates in total.
The Minister-President also acknowledged that his government had not managed to achieve everything. He cited problems with the Schleifähre ferry and the failed plans for a battery factory by Northvolt near Heide as examples. The CDU plans to adopt its election manifesto in February 2027, according to the German Press Agency.
Also attending in Neumünster was Chancellor and CDU national leader Friedrich Merz. He praised Günther’s work and pledged support for the state party’s election campaign. Günther called for a reduction in the electricity tax for all citizens. Merz did not address this in his speech. According to the German Press Agency, the federal government had so far been unable to find funding for it.
Several groups, including trade unions, protested outside the venue. Among other things, they opposed federal government proposals on pensions, working hours and care. Women trade union representatives handed Günther their demands.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).