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Path clear for Seehofer to become next Bavarian premier

DDP/The Local
DDP/The Local - [email protected]
Path clear for Seehofer to become next Bavarian premier
Photo: DPA

German Agriculture Minister Horst Seehofer appears set to become the next premier of Bavaria after two challengers from his Christian Social Union (CSU) party abandoned their ambitions for the post.

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Bavarian Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann and Bavarian Economy Minister Thomas Goppel on Tuesday announced they were no longer candidates to succeed premier Günther Beckstein, who decided to step down last week following a poor election result for the conservative CSU.

“The man goal is to preserve and strengthen the state-wide cohesion and unity of the CSU,” the party said in a statement. “Following the difficult election result it is crucial to ensure the CSU ability to act and govern at all levels.”

The CSU won over 43 percent of the vote on September 28, but it lost its absolute majority that it has held for nearly half a century and the party will now be forced to forge a coalition government.

Seehofer was already designated to take over the party leadership from CSU chairman Erwin Huber, who stepped down days before Beckstein threw in the towel.

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