A Polarizing Conservative Takes Charge in Southwest Germany:

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 FRANKFURT 000564 SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV GM PREL SUBJECT: A Polarizing Conservative Takes Charge in Southwest Germany: Stefan Mappus elected B-W Minister President REF: FRANKFURT 120 ¶1. (SBU)SUMMARY: On February 10, the Baden-Wuerttemberg (B-W) state parliament elected Christian Democrat Union (CDU) caucus chief Stefan Mappus as Germany's youngest Minister President. Mappus succeeds Guenther Oettinger, who was elected EU Commissioner for Energy Affairs on February 9. With Mappus, the CDU leadership will turn conservative, while a close friendship with the Free Democratic Party (FDP) coalition partner is expected. Mappus is an active, motivated, but polarizing political figure. Thus far, Mappus has had little national presence, but this is likely to change. END SUMMARY Stefan Mappus: Germany's Youngest Minister President -------------- -------------- ¶2. (SBU) On Feb 10, the State Parliament elected B-W CDU caucus chief Stefan Mappus Minister President with 83 of the 137 votes, one less than the 84 votes of the CDU/FDP coalition. 51 delegates voted against him, one abstained and two ballots had other names written on them. Immediately after his election, Mappus expressed satisfaction with his election result and announced that he will present his cabinet on February 24. Mappus, who was is 43 years old, born in 1966, is now Germany's youngest Minister President. ¶3. (SBU) Mappus has long been an outspoken representative of the party's conservative wing. His politics differ considerably from those of his predecessor Guenther Oettinger, with whom he was often in conflict. A native of Pforzheim, Mappus remains rooted in rural B-W and maintains small-town conservative "family" values. Mappus has already announced that he won't move with his family, wife and two sons, into the official residence of the Minister President in Stuttgart. Mappus's personality is also said to differ from Oettinger's, with Mappus being more polarizing, less consensus-prone, and unafraid of conflict. CDU contacts told consulate representatives that the tone of the CDU leadership will become tougher as will the relationship with opposition parties. Originally trained as an economist, Mappus Mappus says that former Bavarian M-P Franz Josef Strauss, also known to have been both a conservative and polarizing in his speech, is his political idol. ¶4. (SBU) The B-W FDP welcomes Mappus as Minister President. Ulrich Goll, B-W Interior Minister, asserted yesterday that the one coalition vote that wasn't for Mappus did not come from an FDP member. Mappus is a close personal friend of FDP caucus chief Hans-Ulrich Ruelke (who also lives in Pforzheim),and Mappus also works well with B-W FDP state chair and Bundestag floor leader Birgit Homburger. (Reftel) In terms of tax cuts and the recent issue of the CD with tax evasion data, Mappus has publicly sided with Ruelke. Under Mappus, the B-W CDU will be more predictable for the FDP. While Oettinger initially discussed a coalition with the Greens, such a constellation would be impossible under Mappus. As a result, the FDP remains confident in their current CDU-FDP coalition government and believe that it will likely continue after the 2011 elections. A Shift to the Political Right -------------- ¶5. (SBU) While the CDU leadership may shift right, the opposition Social Democrat (SPD) and Greens party are already considering how they can benefit from the change. B-W SPD state chairman Nils Schmid told Consulate representatives that Mappus wants to gain the support of the ultra-conservative voters in the state, which will leave more room in the middle of the political spectrum. Schmid hopes to take advantage of this. Schmid also thinks that a more conservative CDU will help improve the previously tense relations between the SPD and Greens. Eugen Schlachter, financial expert of the Greens caucus, told Congen that he expects Mappus to make FRANKFURT 00000564 002 OF 002 far-reaching changes in the cabinet, and he also expects Mappus to continue to be confrontational. In terms of policy, Schmid warns of Mappus's tendency to be anti-immigration and anti-integration. "While I consider diversity to be a chance, Mappus considers it to be a threat", Schmid said. Schmid believes the SPD will be able to attract voters with migration backgrounds. ¶6. COMMENT: (SBU)Members of all political parties agree that Mappus will introduce new policy priorities and a new leadership style. By reputation, Mappus is an active, motivated, but polarizing political figure. Thus far, Mappus has had little national presence, but this is likely to change. With the spring 2011 Baden-Wuerttemberg election on the horizon, Mappus will likely spend the next year trying to increase both his name recognition and his popularity, which may mean a considerable shift from the policies of his predecessor and may also mean an initial attempt to keep the population of Baden-Wuerttemberg content by avoiding tough issues like balancing the severely overdrawn B-W state budget. END COMMENT ALFORD