Overview
- At the Greens’ Hannover congress, Cem Özdemir presented a pragmatic, technology‑forward message, declaring “We can do cars” and warning against radical slogans.
- He is running as the Greens’ lead candidate to replace Winfried Kretschmann in Baden‑Württemberg’s March 8, 2026 election, modeling a regionally tailored, business‑minded approach.
- Özdemir is deliberately distancing his state campaign from the federal party, arguing the Greens should not lecture voters and emphasizing economic competence in the auto‑industry heartland.
- Recent polls put the Greens around 20 percent in the state, trailing the CDU at about 29 percent and close to the AfD near 21 percent, while an SWR survey shows Özdemir at 41 percent versus 17 percent for CDU rival Manuel Hagel in a direct choice.
- Delegates in Hannover approved measures with local repercussions, including ending statutory insurance coverage for homeopathy and backing a mandatory musterung, decisions that could add friction in the state contest.