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Fight for the vote: Hagel and Özdemir start the election campaign!
Neu-Ulm: State elections in 2026 are approaching – Hagel (CDU) and Özdemir (Greens) are fighting to succeed Kretschmann.
Fight for the vote: Hagel and Özdemir start the election campaign!
An important election campaign is just around the corner, because a new state parliament will be elected in Baden-Württemberg on March 8, 2026. The two top candidates, Manuel Hagel from the CDU and Cem Özdemir from the Greens, are entering the crucial phase of their campaigns with different strategies and topics. As the Augsburger Allgemeine reports, the official starting signal for the election campaign was given at an event in the Konstanz Council, a historic location that has served as a restaurant, ballroom and congress center since 1912.
The issues that Hagel and Özdemir focus on could not be more different: daycare places, safety in public spaces and, not to forget, the popular Maultaschen are just some of the points that the two politicians address. While Hagel, who is so far little known - only 20% of voters know him - promotes optimism and pragmatic solutions, Özdemir counts on his 60 years of life and political experience and emphasizes his familiarity with issues of education and international politics. He sees this election as an opportunity to follow the pragmatic course of Winfried Kretschmann, who will no longer run in 2026, and is relying on his widespread popularity.
Numbers and surveys
The current survey results show that the CDU is slightly ahead in favor of voters. According to a survey, the CDU is leading with 29-31%, followed by the AfD with 21% and the Greens with 20%. The SPD achieved 10%, while the Left achieved 7% and the FDP only 5%. Another poll tool highlights that Özdemir would score an impressive 41% in a fictitious direct election, while Hagel only gets 17%, underscoring the challenge facing the CDU candidate. The level of trust in the two candidates also seems to be very different: 79% of voters know Özdemir, but Hagel is not immune to the problem of popularity.
Political agendas
In his political agenda, Hagel particularly emphasizes improving education through a compulsory final year of kindergarten and the need to reduce bureaucracy to strengthen the economy. A topic that is also taken up by the SPD, which wants to regain sovereignty over education policy. Özdemir, on the other hand, focuses less on the climate and more on economic issues during the election campaign, although he also clearly positions himself against the use of data software by the police - a point that separates him from his opponent Hagel.
Particularly interesting is the power struggle over Kretschmann's successor - an inheritance that could have serious implications for future government work. Both candidates are aware of the challenges and are trying to convince voters with tailored messages. While the CDU is targeting the government's "new momentum", the CDU criticizes Environment Minister Walker and speaks of a "climate policy disaster" in the context of a suspected greenhouse gas leak at Solvay in Bad Wimpfen.
The state election campaign in Baden-Württemberg is proving to be an exciting and sharp confrontation between two very different approaches to governance. Whoever prevails here will not only shape the next few years in Baden-Württemberg, but will also provide far-reaching impetus for the entire political landscape. The time leading up to the election promises to be quite turbulent and revealing.