Cem Özdemir as the top candidate: The Greens are preparing for the election!

Cem Özdemir as the top candidate: The Greens are preparing for the election!

The Greens in Baden-Württemberg have elected Cem Özdemir as the top candidate for the state elections on March 8, 2026. At the state election meeting last Saturday in Heidenheim, he received 194 out of 200 votes, which corresponds to 97 percent support. The election took place under the sign of the impending change of power, as the incumbent Prime Minister Winfried Kretschmann will not run again. Kretschmann, who was elected in 2011 as the first and so far only Green Prime Minister in Germany, thanked Özdemir for his willingness to be his successor.

Özdemir, who was Federal Minister of Agriculture until the beginning of May and also temporarily held the office of Federal Minister of Education, plans to continue the green era in Baden-Württemberg. However, he emphasizes that he does not want to inherit, but wants to start a new chapter. In his election campaign, Özdemir is relying on personal conversations with citizens and wants to focus particularly on the struggling economy and electromobility in the auto industry. “The CDU shouldn’t feel too safe,” he warns, considering the current polls that show the CDU with 31 percent, well ahead of the Greens, who are currently at 20 percent.

Competition and surveys

Özdemir's current main opponent will be Manuel Hagel, the CDU state and parliamentary group leader. The CDU has already clarified its top candidate; Hagel was elected in Stuttgart last weekend. According to a poll, 39 percent of voters support Cem Özdemir, while only 18 percent would vote for Hagel. Kretschmann also enjoys a high approval rating of 61 percent.

An essential part of Özdemir's campaign strategy will be to repeat the successes of the 2016 state elections, when the Greens achieved a surprising victory despite poor poll numbers. Support for Özdemir among Green Party supporters is 89 percent, a strong signal of the challenges ahead. At the same time, the survey shows that 25 percent of CDU voters show a tendency to support Özdemir.

Political landscape in Baden-Württemberg

There will be exciting developments in Baden-Württemberg in the future. In addition to the CDU and the Greens, other parties are also active in preparing their election campaigns. The AfD may choose its top candidate from the end of May, while the SPD plans to draw up its state list on July 5th in Fellbach. The FDP is also planning its elections in Pforzheim on the same day, and the Left will follow in Leinfelden-Echterdingen on October 19th.

The political landscape in Baden-Württemberg is changing, and the upcoming state elections could have a decisive influence on the future formation of a government. Cem Özdemir seems ready to take on the challenge and lead the Greens into the next elections.

The polls show that the CDU is currently in the stronger position, but things can change quickly during the election campaign. Özdemir, who is considered a pragmatic and experienced politician, will do everything in his power to rally green voters behind him and send a strong signal for the green future in Baden-Württemberg. The coming months until the election in March 2026 will be crucial for all parties.

star reports that the AfD will decide on its top candidate from the end of May. Loud SWR The SPD and the FDP plan to choose their candidates on July 5th, while the Left wants to make their decision on October 19th.