Baden-Württemberg’s Minister‑President Winfried Kretschmann (Greens) was quoted in the weekly newspaper “Die Zeit” as looking forward to the imminent end of his term. “I’m glad to be stepping down” he said. He added that the job is also a burden, noting that he “often sleeps poorly and too little”. A small annoyance, he joked, is enough to keep him awake, “because a spark can turn into a steppes fire”.
Kretschmann has led the state since 2011 and will not run in the March 8, 2026 state election. He said that during his premiership the state of democracy worldwide has deteriorated to a degree he could not have imagined. To him, nationalism is “the most dangerous political poison of modernity”.
He even reckons that Germany is experiencing a new war. “Sure, you have to imagine it because the danger is real and because, ultimately, it contributes to credible deterrence” the Greens politician noted. He added, “If Putin wins in Ukraine, he’ll continue”. Kretschmann admitted that he has not taken any private precautions, such as stockpiling, but suggested that he might start doing so.
Kretschmann also expressed his belief that his colleague Markus Söder of the CSU will never become German chancellor. “With Bavarian liturgy you can’t become Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany” he said. “When Markus first went to Oktoberfest in a Lederhosen, I knew he had given up all his chancellorship ambitions-at least for the time being”.