Söder shows he can work with Greens beyond Olympics

Bavarian Minister-President Markus Söder is highlighting his ability to cooperate with the Greens, from Munich’s Olympic bid to work with Baden-Württemberg counterpart Cem Özdemir on wind power and the car industry, BR reports.

On Monday evening, Söder rode a roller coaster at Munich’s Oktoberfest with Green Party Munich Mayor Dominik Krause. The ride followed the German Olympic Sports Confederation’s decision on Saturday to select Munich in the domestic contest to host the Games. “When it comes to the Olympics, we can only do it together,” Söder said.

The ride had been proposed by Krause at a Bavarian cabinet meeting three weeks earlier, the first attended by a Green politician. Krause had suggested that he and Söder ride the five-loop roller coaster if Munich succeeded in the Olympic bid. After a ride lasting just over two minutes and reaching speeds of up to 100 kilometres per hour, Söder said: “No problem, but once is enough.”

Söder has repeatedly praised his cooperation with Krause on the bid, while stressing that it does not mean they agree on other issues. Beyond Munich, he has also worked with Özdemir on wind power in southern Germany and support for the car industry. The two recently signed a position paper on the automotive sector with Lower Saxony’s Social Democratic minister-president, Olaf Lies.

The Greens could gain greater influence in federal politics if they join the governments of Berlin and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. In that case, state governments with Green participation would hold an absolute majority in the Bundesrat, where they could block legislation from the federal coalition of the Christian Democrats and Social Democrats. Recent state elections have also highlighted the need for broader coalitions in the political centre, BR reports.

Söder has also sent conciliatory signals to the Social Democrats in recent weeks, including in a dispute over pension reform. He said exceptions and transitional arrangements for pensions without deductions after 45 years of contributions would not bring the proposal down, and that reforms needed a “social check”. Earlier this month, he hosted the Social Democrats’ conservative Seeheimer Circle at CSU headquarters, writing that the parties shared responsibility for Germany despite their disagreements.

The approach may also shape Söder’s public image. BR notes that if the Christian Democrats were ever to seek a successor to Chancellor Friedrich Merz before the end of his term, Söder’s recent image as a constructive statesman could serve him better than the polarising “Bavaria First” persona he had in previous years.