Show of Unity in Baden-Wuerttemberg CDU as

UNCLAS FRANKFURT 010621 SIPDIS SENSITIVE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PINR GM SUBJECT: Show of Unity in Baden-Wuerttemberg CDU as Oettinger Elected Standard-Bearer for 2006 State Elections REF: A) Frankfurt 5551, B) Frankfurt 6002, C) Frankfurt 6769, D) Frankfurt 7197, E) Frankfurt 9139, F) Frankfurt 9252 Sensitive but unclassified; not for internet distribution. ¶1. (SBU) At a special party convention on December 11 in Schwaebisch-Gmuend, Baden-Wuerttemberg CDU delegates elected Guenther Oettinger as standard-bearer for the 2006 state elections (following Oettinger's victory in a referendum among the 80,000 state party members). Oettinger's referendum win (with 60.6% of the vote versus 39.4% for state Education Minister Annette Schavan) was a defeat for outgoing M-P Erwin Teufel, who had promoted Schavan as his successor. Schavan graciously accepted her defeat, calling on convention delegates to unite behind Oettinger. In the latest slight to Oettinger, Teufel declined to encourage convention delegates to vote for his designated successor. In press statements, State SPD/Social Democrat chairman Ute Vogt criticized the "power vacuum" of the coming five months, branding Teufel an ineffective lame duck "assassinated" by Oettinger. ¶2. (U) With 94.7% of delegates, Oettinger has a clear mandate from the party. In his acceptance speech, Oettinger set out his key priorities: consolidating the state's budget, improving the business climate, better transportation links, and expanded day-care. He also indicated that most of Teufel's cabinet would stay on and thanked Schavan and Teufel for their service. COMMENT -------------- ¶3. (SBU) Oettinger's strong showing at the state convention (with more support than Teufel received in December 2003) indicates that most Baden-Wuerttemberg conservatives welcome the change of generations and want to bury the hatchet after a year of back-biting. The highly-visible referendum strengthened the precedent for direct democracy in choosing party leaders (NOTE: the Rheinland-Pfalz CDU also recently held a membership referendum to confirm Christoph Boehr as standard-bearer for 2006 state elections -- END NOTE). Whether the CDU can make up lost ground in one of its primary strongholds depends on how the embittered Teufel and his successor handle the awkward five months until the change of administration in April 2005. END COMMENT. BODDE