Baden-Württemberg’s SPD state leader Andreas Stoch believes that debates about possible coalitions after the next state election in spring 2026 are premature. “I advise everyone to be more humble, because between now and the formation of the government there will definitely be another electoral decision by the voters. I think it is wrong to act as if that decision had already been made,” Stoch told the German Press Agency in Stuttgart.
Stoch, who is also the leader of the Social Democrats in the state parliament, spoke of “sandbox games”. “I think most people today don’t want this kind of speculation, they want politics to solve their problems.”
FDP parliamentary group leader Hans-Ulrich Rülke has stressed in numerous interviews in recent weeks that he wants to co-govern in the next state government without the Greens. “The goal is a bourgeois coalition, as things currently stand, that would be a Germany coalition of the CDU, SPD and FDP. According to all surveys, it would not be enough at the moment for a coalition of the CDU and FDP alone,” Rülke told the Badische Neuesten Nachrichten.
Stoch: Majority for black-red just as likely as Germany coalition
He also still believes that cooperation between the SPD, the Greens and the FDP is possible in the southwest. “But of course I also notice that at least the FDP and especially its parliamentary group leader, Mr Rülke, are almost ruling out this option. I have to take note of that. Whether that is strategically smart for him is another matter.” But it is not up to him to give Rülke advice.
The next regular state election in Baden-Württemberg will take place in spring 2026. Prime Minister Winfried Kretschmann (Greens) will then no longer run. The Greens’ top candidate will be decided after the summer break. Federal Agriculture Minister Cem Özdemir is considered the most promising candidate. State and parliamentary group leader Manuel Hagel is likely to run for the CDU.
Stoch on possible top candidacy: “Yes, I’m interested”
As things stand, the election will be a major challenge, especially for the Greens. Opinion polls recently showed the CDU in the southwest well ahead of the Greens, with a lead of a good ten percentage points – and the Green Party also suffered heavy losses in all urban and rural districts of Baden-Württemberg in the European elections.
In the state elections in March 2021, the Greens achieved 32.6 percent, the CDU 24.1 percent, the SPD 11, the FDP 10.5 and the AfD 9.7 percent.
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