Overview
- Bätzing told fellow bishops in a letter he will not seek re‑election, saying he decided after consultation and careful consideration without giving reasons.
- The successor will be elected at the spring plenary in Würzburg from 23–26 February, with the vote expected around 24 February.
- About sixty bishops can vote, and Münster and Eichstätt will be represented by diocesan administrators because their sees are vacant.
- His six‑year tenure was defined by the Synodaler Weg and repeated clashes with Rome, as he backed reforms such as women deacons and greater lay participation while blessings for same‑sex couples were introduced in Germany.
- Reform advocates expressed regret and conservatives see an opening, and church watchers speculate on candidates including Udo Markus Bentz, Peter Kohlgraf, Franz‑Josef Overbeck, or Bertram Meier, while a pick like Stefan Oster would signal a sharper shift.