Kai Wegner Confirmed as CDU Lead Candidate for Berlin Election

Wegner came under criticism in recent months over his crisis management during a large-scale power outage in parts of the capital. Even if he believes "alles gesagt" has been addressed on the matter, that is not the case, the Tagesspiegel writes. The timeline of events during the major power outage has still not been fully clarified.

Criticism of Crisis Management and Unresolved Scandal

Among the burdens is also a subsidy scandal, of which Wegner claims to have been unaware. At the center is the now-dismissed short-term state secretary Matthias Hundt, against whom the public prosecutor's office is investigating on suspicion of insolvency offenses. Wegner states that he got to know Hundt in August 2024 in Berlin at an "Arbeitstreffen zu Themen der Luftverkehrsbranche." According to Tagesspiegel information, Education Senator Katharina Günther-Wünsch was present.

It is documented, however, that both Wegner and Günther-Wünsch had already met Hundt in December 2022 at an education event – he gave a talk on the topic "Was Berlin von Sachsen lernen kann." Hundt subsequently thanked everyone on LinkedIn "für den sehr intensiven Tag und die lebhaften Diskussionen," singling out Günther-Wünsch in particular – who acknowledged the post with a "Gefällt mir" symbol. Hundt had anything but a good reputation in the CDU-led Saxon state government and elsewhere in Dresden, and had already failed in the selection process when applying for a similar position in Dresden, having sued unsuccessfully in court.

A further controversy flared up over the alleged timing of the start of Wegner's private relationship with Education Senator Katharina Günther-Wünsch. The CDU subsequently rallied behind him. Wegner claims to have been aware of none of this when he hired Hundt and pointed to his expertise and his "sehr beeindruckenden" résumé.

Track Record and Policy Priorities

In personnel terms, Wegner had to absorb severe blows: he had to accept or personally carry out eleven departures at senate and state secretary level – only one of which fell to the coalition partner SPD. At the beginning of 2026, a successor was sought for State Secretary Martina Klement, who had moved to Brandenburg.

In terms of content, Wegner struck a positive balance in his party conference speech. "Wir sind erfolgreich gewesen. Es waren drei gute Jahre für Berlin," he said. "Wir haben geliefert. Die Verwaltungsreform ist beschlossen." He also pointed to 80,000 newly built apartments in the current legislative term and to the fact that short-term appointments at the citizens' office can now once again be obtained fairly easily.

Repeat Election of Direction-Setting Significance

The vote on 20 September is a repeat election: the Berlin Constitutional Court had ruled that the 2021 election had to be repeated due to serious electoral errors. That repeat took place in 2023. Now the House of Representatives is being elected once again.

In terms of policy, Wegner set a clearly conservative, project-oriented course for the Berlin CDU. He announced: "Wir werden den 17. Bauabschnitt der A100 realisieren!" He also described the already completed 16th construction section as the right decision. At the same time, he categorically ruled out expropriations of housing: "Mit mir wird es Enteignungen von Wohnraum in Berlin definitiv nicht geben. Ich schließe das kategorisch aus."

On Tempelhofer Feld, he campaigned for development of the field's edges: "Wer diese Randbebauung will, muss am 20. September CDU wählen." He also stressed: "Genau diesen Weg müssen wir weitergehen. Wir müssen mehr bauen." Rent caps and expropriations would not solve the problems on the housing market, Wegner said. The "Schneller-Bauen-Gesetz" was also a success.

Wegner described the September vote as direction-setting. "Ich glaube, diese Wahl ist eine Schicksalswahl," he said. "Es geht ums Ganze." Berlin needs "gesunden Menschenverstand" rather than "links-grüner Ideologie," the state chairman said. "Dafür braucht es eine CDU in der Verantwortung."

Commentator Lorenz Maroldt, editor-in-chief of the Tagesspiegel, assessed the situation as follows: "Vielleicht war Wegner zu selbstsicher geworden und ist jetzt umso verunsicherter." The report was broadcast on 09.06.2026 on Deutschlandfunk.