Brandenburg’s Ministerpräsident Dietmar Woidke will take over the role of coordinating the SPD-led federal states, replacing Niedersachsen’s Ministerpräsident Stephan Weil. This has been confirmed by Woidke to the “Tagesspiegel” (online edition).
Woidke will become the oldest serving SPD Ministerpräsident if the Niedersachsen Landtag, as planned, elects Olaf Lies (SPD) as the successor to Weil on May 20th. Woidke has been ruling Brandenburg since 2013. The SPD-led federal states, along with the B-Länder whose Ministerpräsidenten belong to the Union, are considered A-Länder. The oldest serving SPD Ministerpräsident coordinating his “red” Amtskollegen is a non-written rule of political operation.
Woidke will invite the Ministerpräsidenten to “kitchen table meetings” before the monthly Bundesrat plenary sessions. These meetings are attended by the SPD faction leader, now Matthias Miersch and the SPD chairpersons Lars Klingbeil and Saskia Esken, as well as the SPD General Secretary. The purpose of the kitchen table meetings is to address any contentious issues before the Bundesrat sessions and in relation to the relationship between the federal government and the federal states.
Woidke told the “Tagesspiegel” that he is “optimistic that the cooperation between the federal government and the federal states will improve.” All parties face “major challenges” and can only be addressed together by the federal government, federal states and municipalities. He urged the new federal government to “get down to business” and “start working.” “Lars Klingbeil will set the right priorities together with Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz” said Woidke.