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Reiner Haseloff (CDU) and the Saxony-Anhalt Experiment: No Cuddly Coalition – But a State in DeclineIn 2021, Reiner Haseloff (CDU) spoke of “no cuddly coalition” and “good development.” Fifteen years after the start of his term in office (since 2011), Saxony-Anhalt in 2026 faces demographic shrinkage, economic slowdown, and political destabilization. What remains of the big-mouthed promises – and what are the real consequences? When Reiner Haseloff gave his speech in the state parliament five years ago on September 16, 2021, he tried to paint a picture of strength with pathos and political care: “This government is no cuddly government and this coalition is no cuddly coalition” – yet the years since 2011 show how much this statement served rhetorical exaggeration rather than real political sharpness. Because while Haseloff took office in 2011 – back then still in a CDU-SPD coalition – with the goal of giving “Saxony-Anhalt a long-term perspective,” as he explained in his first 100 days, the state has developed very differently in real social terms. Even upon taking office in 2011, Haseloff spoke of not wanting to “make any more debt” and having to create long-term planning security – yet today the economic and structural problems are deeper and more complex than many could have imagined in 2011. Population: Shrinking trend since 1990, no end in sightSaxony-Anhalt has lost inhabitants almost continuously since reunification. In 1990 there were still almost 2.9 million people; since then the population has declined year after year – even under Haseloff – to around 2.18 million at the end of 2022 and continuing downward into 2026. This trend, ongoing since 2010, is no abstract statistical fact but a reality affecting the entire state: skilled labor shortages, declining purchasing power, vacant infrastructure, and a generational imbalance characterize the federal state.The rhetoric from 2021 that “the people … have trust” and that a “good development” has been achieved sounds in retrospect like a political mantra without substance. The fact is: The demographic imbalance remained unsolved because effective incentives for immigration, family support, and structural investments were lacking. Economy: Stagnation instead of takeoffIn Haseloff’s speech, great optimism was spread: “We will move this state of Saxony-Anhalt positively forward.” But in fact, many economic sectors were only half-heartedly advanced. Although statistics show a GDP per capita in the state of around €37,000 (as of 2024), this is no boom but rather a reflection of the overall German development – without real dynamism in key future industries.It is also clear: Inflation between 2020 and 2025 hit Saxony-Anhalt harder than many other federal states, especially in services, care, and hairdressing – sectors that traditionally have many micro and medium-sized businesses there. At the same time, political initiatives to improve competitiveness, digitization, and skilled labor security remained hesitant. Political situation 2026: AfD surge and loss of trustThe political landscape of the federal state has changed dramatically since Haseloff stood on stage. According to polls ahead of the 2026 state election, the AfD is well ahead of the CDU (around 39% compared to about 27%). This is not just a political earthquake but an indicator of massive loss of trust among parts of the population who no longer feel represented by established parties.The fact that Haseloff is now ending his term and making way for new leadership speaks volumes: The political stability he invoked in 2021 is long gone. The AfD’s strength is the symptom of a state that has been severely shaken economically and socially – precisely where Haseloff once invoked “common tasks and challenges.” The 2021 speech: Campaign blabla or serious government framework?Haseloff’s speech today sounds like a politically crafted piece of crisis rhetoric: lots of words about “optimism,” about “giving courage,” and about a government that is “no cuddly coalition.” And yet: The crucial substantive claim – quick, consistent action – was only partially fulfilled.His statements that there are “no ideal solutions” in Saxony-Anhalt and that “problems are differentiated” appear in retrospect more like political justifications for a lack of assertiveness. The speech is strong in tone but weak in concrete political orientation for a federal state facing profound structural problems. Whether income, economic structure, or population – the facts show: Haseloff’s term did not turn Saxony-Anhalt into impulses for growth but rather into conservative administrative work. Politics between staging and real crisisReiner Haseloff’s 2021 speech was a masterpiece of political rhetoric: clear positions, lots of optimism, strong assertions – yet in real political everyday life in 2026, the sobering balance sheet predominates. Saxony-Anhalt continues to shrink, the economy isn’t gaining momentum, and politically the support is crumbling in favor of other forces. What was announced as “no cuddly coalition” was often rather a coalition of political status quo – with lots of blabla but too little actual problem-solving power.The result: A region still searching for orientation, and a large part of the population wondering whether the politics of recent years really delivered the necessary answers. The transcript of Reiner Haseloff’s speech: Dr. Reiner Haseloff (Minister-President): Mr. President! Esteemed Members! Ladies and gentlemen! In the cabinet, but also beforehand when we saw the agenda, we considered to what extent we should delve deeper into a current debate on a day like this, when the government has just been formed – especially since, as I already said in my opening remarks, we will successively deliver a government declaration from the ministries through me as Minister-President in October, in which ultimately all ministries will be covered, and in particular I will once again explicitly refer to the new coalition agreement. Nevertheless, I want to pick up on a few keywords because this current debate has been scheduled at a time when the federal election campaign is running in Germany. It is understandable that everyone is once again trying to make positions clear through whatever messages, that one also tries to make the differences that arise in a party democracy visible to voters. It is legitimate if this is done with a political culture. Still, I don’t want to let some things stand; because I am standing here not as a campaigner but as Minister-President with a cabinet to the left and right, as far as the colleagues are concerned, to get what we want to develop forward, on the basis of the coalition agreement, positively underway. First: This government is no cuddly government and this coalition is no cuddly coalition. We don’t need that at all, but we know what our programmatic origin is, what our programmatic basis is, wherein we consciously differ. I also refer once again to the election result, where even on election day people were asked which coalition they would most like to see in Saxony-Anhalt. One doesn’t have to be completely poll-credulous. But one fact is: The Germany coalition that has now emerged was quite the frontrunner among the possibilities that arose. I also have to say once again, dear Ms. von Angern, when you speak of “alternatives”: The voters did not choose exactly the alternatives you mentioned and did not let them come into play. (Applause) I make no reproach to the citizens; because due to the very broad age structure they have certainly gathered experiences in which they were personally confronted with these alternatives and which still confront us today in many, many problem areas, which is why we will have to deal with all of this for the whole century. But that’s exactly why we ran for office. At this point I also want to spread optimism, because one thing I don’t like. You can continue to associate Saxony-Anhalt with “siding” and all sorts of other keywords. One can do that. I love my home state. I was born here and I want to be buried here too – sometime, as late as possible. I will work on that so that I can be available to you as a sparring partner for a very, very long time. But one thing is a fact in this whole story: We – especially in the last five years of the Kenya coalition; I say that just as openly to the former coalition partner – have together made quite essential steps forward. We will continue this path with the coalition agreement – provided with new accents, with a new partner and with a new program that also enables interesting constellations – we will continue. We will take this state of Saxony-Anhalt forward. I could now present many statistics to you; Mr. Willingmann and other colleagues here in parliament have often done that. One can’t really get past statistics. I want to spare us them here. I just want to point out: We have taken a good development. If you assume or say that the citizens constantly have the feeling or interpret certain things as if there is no stability in this state, then I can only say: Look at Thuringia. (Approval) Look at other federal states and then look at what we have achieved here – even in difficult times – and how the voters’ vote ultimately looked on June 6, 2021. You don’t seriously think that after ten years of my term in office and 20 years of my presence here in Magdeburg in the state government, people don’t exactly know why they cast certain votes the way they did. Rather, people do have trust. Certainly not all of them, but a large number. I take that very, very seriously. I have to say: For me it is again and again also a moral challenge that I declare the problem situations of our citizens as daily business every day anew – regardless of the fact that we have to drive the big lines and that we have to reasonably manage the big problem situations – starting with climate, through the energy transition in general, etc. – with this new coalition. Finally, I would like to use the speaking opportunity once again to say that we are not only experiencing a new departure here. Because every chapter, every legislative period enables this departure. The public reproduction and reflection of the evaluation of our coalition agreement are largely positive. But one thing is clear: We as politicians must also give people courage when it comes to not always just talking about problems but about tasks and challenges. If we always just say, you can now choose between – let me give this example because it fits right now – 2G and 3G or you do what is best for you, then one doesn’t have to immediately say that it is a problem, that it is very problematic. Or what about the wolf? Do we have to remove it or not? How do we remove it, etc.? – People, these are things in life that are so differentiated that we will never have an ideal solution. There is never black and white. But we are intellectually and practically capable of solving such problems. These are exemplary examples because they have also played a role in the media in recent days. I could go through it like that now. So you can also look forward to the government declaration in October and the corresponding statements by the individual cabinet colleagues. We will demonstrate and show what we intend to implement. That will be the overall package, so to speak. Also in the last legislative period, Mr. Robra always kept very good track of what we implemented from the coalition agreement at the time. I have to say about that: No gap was left. (Calls) We do this very meticulously because we want to keep our word. But one thing is also important here: Of course we know where the framework conditions also set limits for us. We know that everything we newly undertake must be financially underpinned. That’s why in the coalition agreement we didn’t work with big subjunctives but made decisions: Either we do it or we don’t. We have, so to speak, not issued review orders but said: We tackle this, we don’t tackle that. We keep certain things in mind. If everything goes well, if economic growth picks up again, if we have overcome the pandemic, if we have further advanced the revitalization of the economy after its worldwide slump in the last one and a half years, then we can also discuss other things. But we know that every coalition agreement contains a financing proviso and that we have to deal very carefully with the generations who want to shape politics after us. Especially at my age I say that. Because there are also enough people in my own family who point out to me every day: What you are doing, that must also be accountable one day, I also want to be able to shape one day when I take responsibility communally, at state level or wherever. That’s what my young grandchildren tell me. I’m glad they wrote that in my family register. I have stuck to that too. So you can continue to concentrate on your tasks. There will be good cooperation in this cabinet and in this parliament. Let us optimistically move the state of Saxony-Anhalt forward. Today is exactly the right day for that. We are opening up the possibilities with a new start, so to speak, that our citizens feel as potential within themselves and that we want to tap together further. We should impose that on ourselves together in a positive sense. Therefore: All the best! Keep your fingers crossed for us that everything turns out well and that there are no more external impacts like the pandemic. We have just seen it in Rhineland-Palatinate and North Rhine-Westphalia: You can write coalition agreements however you want – suddenly you are faced with huge catastrophes. Last Friday we passed a special fund of more than 30 billion euros in the Bundestag – and that may not even be the limit yet. We know what else we have to do. That’s why we have also provided for the special fund for revitalization and ultimately to cushion the slumps we had, so that normal social life can continue and social standards are not dismantled. What we can additionally afford, we will see. I already said: I am optimistic. Let’s do it together. I would like to invite us all to that. – Heartfelt thanks and all the best. (Applause) Vice President Wulf Gallert: Mr. Minister-President, you are going too fast. I ask you to come back to the lectern. There are two questions. – Mr. Tullner, do you also have one? (Marco Tullner, CDU: No, no!) – Well, then not. – Both questions come from your former coalition partner. The first is from Mr. Striegel. – Mr. Striegel, you have the floor. Please remember, you have two minutes. Sebastian Striegel (GREENS): Many heartfelt thanks. – Mr. Minister-President, I don’t want to get involved at all in the dispute between you and my colleague von Angern about how harmonious this coalition is. That will certainly become apparent. I would like to ask you a question with regard to the central future issue: the climate crisis. (Shout: Oh! That’s not a future issue!) It’s about the question of how this coalition wants to confront this crisis. We have read the coalition agreement. We noticed: No binding measures can be found in it. I had hoped – you addressed the issue. You also mentioned your grandchildren, for whom this is a life-deciding issue. What concrete binding steps do you plan as Minister-President to combat the climate crisis? How do you manage to take the people in Saxony-Anhalt along on the energy transition issue and ensure that the people in Saxony-Anhalt actually benefit from this energy transition? The former minister Ms. Dalbert – no longer in office as of today – proposed an outer area levy back then. What is your stance, for example, on such an instrument? Dr. Reiner Haseloff (Minister-President): On the first aspect, just this much: The climate issue runs – it was already an issue in the presentation of the coalition agreement – through the entire coalition agreement. It plays a role in as many places as never before in a previous coalition agreement. (Shout: Exactly! – Approval) Because we know it is an existential issue. On the second point to be said: We know about the things achieved so far. This also includes that we are far ahead in terms of renewable energies, that we – I don’t want to get more specific now; you know what I mean. My colleague Kretschmann is a regular conversation partner. I will continue to give him tips on how we deal with the expansion of wind energy there, because he has much, much more to do with citizens’ initiatives than we do. Because we see it connected successively with planning bases, (Shout from Cornelia Lüddemann, GREENS) so that the rural area is ultimately also involved in these processes. For the first time in this coalition agreement we have anchored an immediate target regarding the reduction of CO₂ quantities. By the way – if you look at the total emissions – that’s quite a chunk we have set ourselves for the next five years. This does not happen automatically. A whole series of measures are necessary that are important and that we will tackle. But one thing is clear: If we do not want to lose acceptance in the population – in general and also with us – regarding expansion, repowering and all the things we know sufficiently from the last legislative period, then it must succeed in making it clear to people that what has been legally agreed also remains reliable. If we have a law on coal phase-out with all the trimmings, then that means – regardless of which market mechanisms run in parallel, for example certificate trading etc.; all these are consciously implemented instruments that the European Union also uses – that one must also make clear – I was in Hohenmölsen again just yesterday – that what was broadly passed in the Bundestag and Bundesrat a few months ago holds. Who is supposed to trust us at all if we question what is to be substituted there in the coming years again and haven’t even created a replacement job? Another point in this context is that we know – that’s why we consciously wrote this in the coalition agreement – that we must not rely solely on politically prescribed technology. (Approval) It is wrong to rely only on electromobility. Yes, we must rely on electromobility. But what is technically possible, the companies or developers have to do. What is ecologically sensible is clear: The climate targets must be achieved. How we achieve them – whether with synthetic fuel or with hydrogen, with green hydrogen that can be produced long-term with us because we have sufficient green energy, and all these stories – is still open. This is an issue that can ultimately be found in our coalition agreement and for which we give the guarantee that this coalition agreement helps to meet the climate targets. I know the times are limited, but at the moment when you open such fundamental discussions and want to anticipate the discussion in the framework of the government declaration, you unfortunately have to live with that. Or I wouldn’t answer and would refer to the government declaration, in which I will point out what we have all set in motion. Vice President Wulf Gallert: Your time as a government representative is at least not limited within this legislative period, and the questioner must live with the consequence that he then has to listen that long. Next is Ms. Lüddemann. She has a question. – Please, Ms. Lüddemann. Cornelia Lüddemann (GREENS): Mr. Minister-President, you mentioned in your statement that you take the votes of the voters very seriously. If I look at the population pyramid in the Federal Republic in general and in Saxony-Anhalt in particular, then it is very clear that precisely the generation that will suffer most from the consequences of your coalition agreement in concrete terms and of politics in the Federal Republic in general is the least represented. Those under 30 have just 14% of the voter votes – that has just been counted for the federal election – and in Saxony-Anhalt it is even fewer. What do you say to these young people when they look at your coalition agreement and find that you do nothing for the climate, (Unrest) i.e., to protect their natural livelihoods, but also do nothing – this is now my concrete point – to involve young people more strongly in the political process, i.e., do nothing to lower the voting age and do nothing to strengthen participation rights for young people? – That was a major point in the statements of colleague von Angern. (Unrest) Vice President Wulf Gallert: You may answer. Dr. Reiner Haseloff (Minister-President): I’ll keep it short because certain things resolve themselves. Everything we have written down was broadly developed from the parties, for example by working groups. On our side, as far as the CDU is concerned, very, very many young people were involved. There has never been such high participation by the Young Union in formulating these things. A Young Union that – I can name this from my own family – is so ecologically positioned in Saxony-Anhalt – I have respect for that – that it can, so to speak, act as a pioneer compared to some green way of life. (Approval) This goes all the way to meat consumption etc. You have to dissolve your old enemy image. What does it actually mean to bind oneself politically – in quotation marks – conservatively? – That means preservation of creation. That means ecology in particular. But the foundations must also be created together with the economy so that the whole thing remains affordable. This commonality has to be implemented successfully so that democracy remains stable and no imbalances arise. (Approval) As I said, I don’t have to justify myself for that. I find this coalition agreement very, very ambitious, especially regarding these things. The young people have written a lot into it for us, also those from the other two parties. One has to say that clearly too. The municipal side was involved. Demographic issues, issues of young people and long-term sustainable issues played a very, very strong role. I can only say: Read it best two or three times a day. (Laughter) Perhaps it will even be possible – I am quite sure of that; we know each other, don’t we, Ms. Lüddemann – that we will get your votes for many projects we tackle; you will be so satisfied with us. (Approval) Author: AI-Translation - АИИ | |
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