Wegner senate

Last updated
Senate of Kai Wegner
Senate Wegner
DEU Berlin COA.svg
29th Senate of Berlin
27 April 2023 –
2023-04-27 Sitzung des Abgeordnetenhauses von Berlin by Sandro Halank-119.jpg
The members of the Wegner senate at the Abgeordnetenhaus plenary session on 27 April 2023
From left to right: Ina Czyborra, Christian Gaebler, Cansel Kiziltepe, Stefan Evers, Katharina Günther-Wünsch, Felor Badenberg, Joe Chialo, Iris Spranger, Manja Schreiner, Franziska Giffey
Date formed27 April 2023
People and organisations
Governing Mayor Kai Wegner
Deputy Mayor Franziska Giffey
Stefan Evers
No. of ministers10
Member parties Christian Democratic Union
Social Democratic Party
Status in legislature Coalition government (Majority)
Opposition parties Alliance 90/The Greens
The Left
Alternative for Germany
History
Election 2023 Berlin repeat state election
Legislature term19th Abgeordnetenhaus of Berlin
Predecessor Giffey senate

The Wegner senate is the current state government of Berlin, sworn in on 27 April 2023 after Kai Wegner was elected as Governing Mayor of Berlin by the members of the Abgeordnetenhaus of Berlin. It is the 29th Senate of Berlin.

Contents

It was formed after the 2023 Berlin repeat state election by the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and Social Democratic Party (SPD). Excluding the Governing Mayor, the senate comprises ten ministers, called Senators. Five are members of the SPD, four are members of the CDU, and one is an independent politician (nominated by the CDU).

Formation

The previous Senate was a coalition government of the SPD, Left, and Greens led by Governing Mayor Franziska Giffey of the SPD.

The election took place on 12 February 2023, and resulted in a clear victory for the opposition CDU, moved from third to first place with 28% of the vote on a swing of ten percentage points. The SPD declined to 18.5% and finished just 53 votes ahead of the Greens. The Left recorded a small decline and the Alternative for Germany (AfD) a small improvement.

Overall, the outgoing coalition retained a reduced majority. After talks with several parties, on 1 March the SPD vote 25 to 12 to seek negotiations with the CDU for a grand coalition. [1] Negotiations began on 13 March and concluded on 3 April, with the two parties presenting a 135-page agreement. [2] It was subsequently submitted for approval by the SPD membership. The results of the vote were announced on 23 April, with 54.3% voting in favour on a turnout of 64%. [3]

The Abgeordnetenhaus elected Wegner as Governing Mayor on 27 April. He failed to win the first two ballots and was elected on the third, winning won 86 votes out of 159 cast, with 70 against, and three abstentions. [4]

Governing Mayor election
Kai Wegner (CDU) [5]
Ballot →27 April 2023
Required majority →80 out of 15980 out of 159Simple majority
For
71 / 159
X mark.svg
79 / 159
X mark.svg
86 / 159
Yes check.svg
Against
86 / 159
79 / 159
70 / 159
Abstentions
1 / 159
1 / 159
3 / 159
Invalid
1 / 159
0 / 159
0 / 159

Policy

In May 2023, the Wegner government created the role of Queer Berlin Liaison Officer. [6]

Composition

PortfolioSenatorPartyTook officeLeft officeState secretaries
Governing Mayor of Berlin
Senate Chancellery
2023-04-27 Sitzung des Abgeordnetenhauses von Berlin by Sandro Halank-112.jpg Kai Wegner
born (1972-09-15) 15 September 1972 (age 52)
CDU 27 April 2023Incumbent
  • Florian Graf (Head of the Senate Chancellery)
Deputy Mayor
Senator for Economy, Energy and Enterprise
2021-12-21 Sitzung des Abgeordnetenhauses von Berlin by Sandro Halank-086.jpg Franziska Giffey
born (1978-05-03) 3 May 1978 (age 47)
SPD 27 April 2023Incumbent
  • Severin Fischer
  • Michael Biel
Deputy Mayor
Senator for Finance
2023-04-27 Sitzung des Abgeordnetenhauses von Berlin by Sandro Halank-019.jpg Stefan Evers
born (1979-10-10) 10 October 1979 (age 45)
CDU 27 April 2023Incumbent
  • Tanja Mildenberger (Finance)
  • Wolfgang Schyrocki (Personnel)
Senator for Culture and Social Cohesion 2023-04-27 Sitzung des Abgeordnetenhauses von Berlin by Sandro Halank-138.jpg Joe Chialo
born (1970-07-18) 18 July 1970 (age 55)
CDU 27 April 2023Incumbent
  • Sarah Wedl-Wilson (Culture)
  • Oliver Friederici (Civic Engagement and Democracy)
Senator for Urban Development, Construction and Housing 2023-04-27 Sitzung des Abgeordnetenhauses von Berlin by Sandro Halank-084.jpg Christian Gaebler
born (1964-12-08) 8 December 1964 (age 60)
SPD 27 April 2023Incumbent
  • Alexander Slotty
  • Stephan Machulik
  • Petra Kahlfeldt (Construction Director)
Senator for Interior and Sport 2021-12-21 Sitzung des Abgeordnetenhauses von Berlin by Sandro Halank-127.jpg Iris Spranger
born (1961-09-19) 19 September 1961 (age 63)
SPD 27 April 2023Incumbent
  • Christian Hochgrebe (Interior)
  • Nicola Böcker-Giannini (Sport)
Senator for Education, Youth and Family 2023-04-27 Sitzung des Abgeordnetenhauses von Berlin by Sandro Halank-020.jpg Katharina Günther-Wünsch
born (1983-04-03) 3 April 1983 (age 42)
CDU 27 April 2023Incumbent
  • Falko Liecke (Youth)
  • Torsten Kühne (School Construction)
  • Christina Henke (Interior School Affairs)
Senator for Science, Health and Care 2023-04-27 Sitzung des Abgeordnetenhauses von Berlin by Sandro Halank-137.jpg Ina Czyborra
born (1966-06-23) 23 June 1966 (age 59)
SPD 27 April 2023Incumbent
  • Ellen Haußdörfer (Health)
  • Henry Marx (Science)
Senator for Labour, Social Affairs, Equality, Integration, Diversity and Anti-Discrimination 2023-04-27 Sitzung des Abgeordnetenhauses von Berlin by Sandro Halank-139.jpg Cansel Kiziltepe
born (1975-10-08) 8 October 1975 (age 49)
SPD 27 April 2023Incumbent
  • Aziz Bozkurt (Social Affairs)
  • Max Landero (Integration and Anti-Discrimination)
  • Micha Klapp (Labour and Equality)
Senator for Mobility, Transport, Climate Protection and Environment 2023-04-27 Sitzung des Abgeordnetenhauses von Berlin by Sandro Halank-120.jpg Manja Schreiner
born (1978-04-29) 29 April 1978 (age 47)
CDU 27 April 2023Incumbent
  • Britta Behrendt (Environment)
  • Claudia Stutz (Transport)
Senator for Justice and Consumer Protection Felor Badenberg Portrait.jpg Felor Badenberg
born (1975-05-21) 21 May 1975 (age 50)
Ind.
(CDU nomination)
27 April 2023Incumbent
  • Dirk Feuerberg (Justice)
  • Esther Uleer (Consumer Protection)

References

  1. "GroKo for Berlin? CDU and SPD want to form a coalition". Berliner Zeitung (in German). 2 March 2023.
  2. "Black-red alliance: What is in the Berlin coalition agreement". ZDF (in German). 3 April 2023.
  3. "Scholz party paves way for new center-right mayor in Berlin". Associated Press . 23 April 2023.
  4. "Berlin's first conservative mayor in 22 years takes office". New Haven Register. 2023-04-27. Retrieved 2023-04-27.
  5. Sources for each ballot:
    1. "Kai Wegner fails in the first round of the mayoral election". Die Zeit (in German). 27 April 2023.
    2. "Berlin CDU leader Wegner also fails in the second round of election to head of government". Stern (in German). 27 April 2023.
    3. "Wegner elected governing mayor". Tagesschau (in German). 27 April 2023.
  6. "Senat ernennt Alfonso Pantisano zur queerbeauftragten Person der Berliner Landesregierung". www.berlin.de (in German). 2023-07-11. Retrieved 2023-07-24.