Markus Söder, the Minister-President of Bavaria and head of the CSU, has indicated that he is no longer pursuing a candidacy for the Chancellorship. Speaking to the newspaper Handelsblatt, he stated that this chapter is closed, and the question of a national bid will not arise again now or in the future.
However, the party leader expressed openness to running again for the Bavarian state election in 2028. Söder said he is pleased to contribute with full energy to Bavaria, and if both the party and the citizens desire it, he would gladly continue in his current role.
When asked why he is dropping his former demand for a ten-year limit on office tenure, the CSU politician explained that he proposed this limit during his time in the state parliament, but the parties at the time rejected it. His position has since been complicated by the small ÖDP party in Bavaria, which is pushing for a popular referendum on such a tenure limitation. Should the ÖDP achieve success with this referendum, Söder would be unable to stand for election in 2028.
