Berlin’s governing mayor, Kai Wegner of the CDU, is facing a storm of criticism following revelations that he played tennis during the city’s recent widespread power outage, sparking a political firestorm and raising serious questions about his leadership and crisis management capabilities. The blackout, which left approximately 45,000 households without power and tragically resulted in one fatality due to the freezing temperatures, has exposed significant failures in Berlin’s emergency response and has amplified calls for Wegner’s resignation.
Green Party politician Werner Graf, one of the Green Party’s leading candidates for the upcoming Berlin elections, delivered a scathing assessment of Wegner’s conduct, stating he “doesn’t meet the criteria one would expect from a governing mayor”. Graf emphasized the severity of the situation, highlighting the number of homes plunged into darkness during frigid conditions and the subsequent loss of life. He described Wegner’s actions as “appalling” casting doubt on his suitability for the office.
Beyond the tennis incident, Graf pointed to broader inadequacies in Wegner’s crisis management. He noted that Berlin experienced a similar network disruption just four months prior and that lessons seemingly weren’t learned. Graf’s pointed remarks linked the power outage failures with a perceived lack of seriousness in addressing security threats from both left and right-wing extremism, suggesting a prioritization of recreation over public safety.
The criticism has been echoed and intensified, by the AfD. Kristin Brinker, the AfD’s state leader and candidate for the House of Representatives, went further, unequivocally demanding Wegner’s immediate resignation. While acknowledging a need for respite during times of immense pressure, Brinker accused Wegner of “deceiving the entire public” a charge she deemed fatal to his position. She condemned his late response on Sunday and criticized his delayed recognition of the severity of the situation.
Wegner, attempting to defend his actions, admitted to playing tennis between 1:00 PM and 2:00 PM, claiming he “needed to clear his head”. He insisted he remained reachable via mobile phone during the game and immediately returned to work afterward. He attributed receiving news of the incident via Interior Senator Iris Spranger around 8:07 AM on Saturday, initially reporting 19,000 affected households, which later escalated. He framed his phone calls to the Chancellery, Federal Interior Ministry and engagement with the Bundeswehr as critical efforts to coordinate assistance.
Rejecting the notion of a mistake, Wegner argued that his presence on the tennis court didn’t impede his ability to manage the crisis, asserting that being physically on-site would have prevented crucial conversations with key authorities. He further contended that his decision to visit affected areas on Sunday was the “right path” and that he would repeat his actions, emphasizing the role of a governing mayor in coordinating and directing crisis response.
Despite his justifications, the incident has severely undermined public trust and sparked intense debate over leadership accountability during times of crisis, setting the stage for a contentious election season.