Baden-Württemberg’s Minister-President Cem Özdemir (Greens) plans to collaborate with other state governments to pressure the federal government into implementing bureaucratic reforms. Speaking to FAZ, Özdemir stated that when citizens perceive the state as an ineffective, overly complex bureaucracy whose purpose they do not understand, their faith in it erodes. He confirmed discussions with North Rhine-Westphalia’s Minister-President Hendrik Wüst (CDU) regarding joint proposals for the federal government, which could be introduced via a Bundesrat initiative or another mechanism. “In any case, we want to show the federal government that change is possible and ask: Why not also rethink your own reporting and documentation duties?” Özdemir added, noting that these ideas could eventually be presented to the EU in Brussels.
Furthermore, Özdemir intends to submit the draft of his efficiency law before the summer recess. The fundamental shift this law requires is that new regulations must justify what they keep, rather than just what they eliminate. A clear directive is being given to his ministries: if a new rule is proposed, it must explain what existing element is being removed to accommodate it, or it will not proceed. On a related energy note, he called for a faster expansion of wind power, demanding a “special Southern tender with fixed quotas” for Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg to secure the region’s status as a “Southern German industrial powerhouse”.
In response to the growing strength of the AfD, Özdemir announced plans for more intensive engagement with AfD voters. He asserted that politics has frequently overlooked the fears and concerns of ordinary people in recent years, noting that this includes his own party. “Certain phrasing regarding migration policy has certainly not helped in that regard” he said.
Drawing on his background from a Turkish immigrant family, Özdemir commented on the current political climate in Turkey, where the Erdogan government is actively challenging the opposition CHP party. He highlighted how the opposition demonstrated “the importance of free opposition and rule of law procedures”. Regarding potential future delegation trips to Turkey, he affirmed that as Minister-President, he represents the values of his state, and his conviction-that democracies are the superior organizational framework for life on this planet-transcends the borders of Baden-Württemberg.
