Is that really him? Can this be? It has already been joked in the state parliament whether Markus Söder still knows the way at all. At lunchtime, the prime minister will provide evidence to the contrary. He marches through the Stone Hall, past the pretty nativity scene under the colossal Christmas tree, turns left twice and, indeed: he enters the plenary hall, in person. There sits Söder (CSU), in the early afternoon, a hot drink steaming in front of him, next to him, at the lectern, speaks Sebastian Körber. “It’s nice that you’re at least coming to the plenary for a cup of tea,” scoffs the FDP MP.
It’s Thursday in the Maximilianeum, the last plenary session of the year, the right moment to take stock. And what must say? The state parliament office does not keep an attendance list, but apart from three speeches, little is documented there about the presence of the prime minister in the parliamentary year 2022. Söder was not in the plenary hall much more often than these three times, with at least 30 meeting days. You can now say: a prime minister has to govern, that takes time, and such a plenary session is a time waster. One can recall that Söder made a record 14 government statements in the state parliament in the Corona years 2020/21. But you can also take a look at the other parliaments in the republic, at the annual accounts of the other prime ministers. To anticipate: This look is not really flattering for Markus Söder.
A few examples from an SZ survey in all state parliaments. In Brandenburg, Dietmar Woidke (SPD) was absent once, on 23 plenary days. In Saxony, Michael Kretschmer (CDU) was absent twice, at 19 meetings. On the other hand, the more invisible state leaders include Hendrik Wüst (CDU), who attended 22 of 32 plenary meetings in North Rhine-Westphalia, or Manuela Schwesig (SPD), who attended 23 of 34 meetings in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. But compared to the Söder balance sheet, even these are nerd numbers. Anyone who calls the parliamentary press offices outside of the Free State will be amazed at the presence of the Bavarian Prime Minister. “I beg your pardon?” – “that would not work with us.”
And how does the Bavarian State President assess the frequent absence of the Prime Minister in Parliament? “I fully understand if a head of government cannot be in the state parliament as often as other members of parliament. Our prime minister is a politician who is in high demand,” says Ilse Aigner (CSU) of the Süddeutsche Zeitung on demand. That sounds friendly, very understanding. But then she follows two sentences that suggest what she really thinks of Söder and his attendance record: “Our parliament can’t get enough of him. That’s why I very much hope that he can be present in the plenum more often next year. ” Criticism can hardly be formulated more charmingly.
In her closing words in the last session of the state parliament in 2022, Aigner, on the other hand, saves with criticism for Söder – and becomes fundamental. “We have lost a lot of time and energy in public debates that appear to be progressive, but which in fact do not get us any further,” says the speaker of the parliament. As examples, she cites the debates about gender asterisks or armbands on the soccer field, “side issues,” says Aigner, and pleads for a “return,” for “a policy that concentrates on the essentials.” Then she criticizes the “tone that too often poisons the public debate, including here in the state parliament”. The political competition should not “serve to create divisions and stir up fears”. The AfD faction obviously feels addressed. Aigner’s admonition was applauded in the ranks of all parties, just not on the far right.
Söder also takes stock, at the lectern of the state parliament, contribution number four 2022. “The bottom line” is that the Corona crisis has been “mastered” and “an incredible number of lives have been saved”. He is also “optimistic” about the consequences of the energy crisis for the Free State. After Söder recommended a “cleansing process” for the AfD and more distance from extremists, “Reich citizens” and lateral thinkers, the Superbayern medley follows, with which the CSU boss has toured talk shows, beer tents and other festival halls since spring: research, climate protection , Security, according to Söder, Bavaria is at the top everywhere. The coalition between the CSU and Free Voters is stable “compared to other governments in the world”. By which he means the Berlin traffic lights, of course.
This ends a parliamentary year that was initially heavily influenced by the corona pandemic. The plexiglass panes in the plenary hall were not removed until April, after about a year and a half. Which also put an end to the jokes about the protective walls between the parliamentary chairs (“incubator”, “glass parliamentarian”). Some MPs who had a smoker next to them and who had learned to appreciate the odor barrier were less happy. When the state parliament then switched almost seamlessly from the Corona crisis to the energy crisis, the members of parliament felt it again. Recently, at the Advent reception of the state parliament, some guests shivered to a cool 19 degrees because the heating was turned down.
Further findings of the parliamentary year: After their Corona controversies, the CSU and FW resort to cuddling, which warms them up. On the other hand, the SPD, the Greens and the FDP are also snuggling up in Bavaria, at least at times. Above all, SPD faction leader Florian von Brunn likes to emphasize the unity of the Bavarian traffic light parties. The Greens are more timid, the FDP tends to seek the demarcation when asked: The CSU remains “always a potential coalition partner” for the Liberals.
On Thursday, the three from the traffic light will appear together again. An emergency motion from the SPD, Greens and FDP is up for debate, topic: budgetary law. Together, the Bayern traffic light also ensured that there will be two new investigative committees in 2023: on the lease of the Nuremberg Future Museum and on the second Munich S-Bahn tube. The three factions are already cooperating with the sub-committee on the CSU mask affair. This Friday, the Prime Minister’s testimony is on the agenda there, in the conference building, fourth floor. Provided, of course, that Markus Söder finds his way there.