Despite trailing in current opinion polls, Cem Özdemir, the Green Party’s leading candidate for the upcoming Baden-Württemberg state election in March 2026, insists victory remains within reach. In an interview with the Handelsblatt, Özdemir suggested a palpable voter fatigue with the prevailing political climate could significantly alter the election’s trajectory.
While the Green Party currently polls around 20 percent, placing them behind the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) at approximately 30 percent, Özdemir enjoys a considerable advantage in terms of personal popularity compared to his CDU rival, Manuel Hagel. This personal appeal, he believes, represents a key advantage and his campaign strategy is now focused on reinforcing the message that he is the candidate best positioned to represent the interests of Baden-Württemberg.
Beyond merely closing the polling gap, Özdemir’s remarks also hint at a subtle but significant concern within the Green Party: the potential for left-leaning voters in urban centers to be swayed by the Left Party (Die Linke). Özdemir directly criticized the Left Party’s lack of a demonstrable commitment to governance and policy implementation, stating that they appear unwilling to actively shape and transform the political landscape. This critique signals an attempt to consolidate the Green Party’s position as the primary vehicle for progressive politics in the state, effectively aiming to prevent a splintering of the left-leaning electorate. The maneuver also raises questions about the Green Party’s understanding of the broader political dynamics and its attempts to define its space within a complex and often polarized political arena.