Krichbaum vacates the executive chair: CDU Pforzheim faces new challenges!

Krichbaum vacates the executive chair: CDU Pforzheim faces new challenges!

A significant change is imminent in the CDU Pforzheim: Gunther Krichbaum, who has been at the head of the district association for years, will resign in July. The background to his resignation is his appointment as Minister of State in the Foreign Office. “It’s simply too much time for a voluntary position like that of district chairman,” explains Krichbaum, who is recognized for his dedicated constituency work. Once again it becomes clear that the district association has been shaped by strong personalities such as Fritz Wurster and Stefan Mappus in the past. But with Krichbaum's departure, an era comes to an end that has been characterized by continuous representation in parliament since the CDU district association was founded in 1973. The question now is: who will be his successor?

PZ Newsreports that the CDU will elect a successor in July and that the decision about the future leadership of the district association could also depend on the state elections on March 8th. It appears that Andreas Renner, who is considered a very promising candidate for the 2026 state elections, has no interest in taking over the management of the district association.

The candidates for the state elections

The CDU's most recent general meeting provided a breath of fresh air. Andreas Renner was elected as a candidate for constituency 42, which includes Pforzheim and several communities in the Enz district. With 101 of 196 valid votes, he prevailed against Bastian Meyer, who received 95 votes. Renner, who is known for his outgoing personality, has emphasized that he does not want to seek positions where he has doubts about his ability. With this attitude he goes into the election campaign motivated.

In another chapter of the CDU en décalage, 22-year-old Nico Gunzelmann won the vote for the state parliament candidacy in constituency 44 Enz. At the election in the gym in Conweiler, the mood ranged between excitement and anticipation. Gunzelmann, who works as a member of the Junge Union and as a local councilor in Wiernsheim, sees himself as the “jack of all trades and caliber” of the Enzkreis. He is particularly committed to language proficiency tests and a ban on cell phones in schools.

A look into the future

With Krichbaum's resignation and the upcoming state elections, the CDU in Pforzheim is facing a decisive phase. The developments in the election campaign will not only change politics in Pforzheim, but also shape the future direction of the district association. Depending on the results of the state elections, the SPD will try to strengthen its own position. The SPD's state list will be drawn up in Fellbach on July 5th, which could shed light on the future opportunities of its candidates.

What happens next remains to be seen. What is clear, however, is that the CDU Pforzheim wants to sail into the future with a fresh breeze, and the new faces in the party could have a good hand for this.