Kai Wegner confirmed as CDU lead candidate for Berlin election after party convention vote

Wegner listed several legislative achievements of the current term, including the passage of a "Schneller-Bauen-Gesetz" (faster-building law) and a Verwaltungsreform that, in his telling, has clarified responsibilities within Berlin's administration. "Wir haben geliefert. Die Verwaltungsreform ist beschlossen," he said, pointing to 80,000 new apartments built during the legislative period and shorter waiting times at the city's Bürgerämter (citizens' offices).

Policy pledges: housing, infrastructure, and the A100

Looking ahead to the campaign, Wegner pledged to push the 17th construction section of the A100 motorway and to develop the edge of Tempelhofer Feld. "Wir werden den 17. Bauabschnitt der A100 realisieren!" he told delegates, adding: "Wer diese Randbebauung will, muss am 20. September CDU wählen."

He also categorically ruled out expropriations of housing under his leadership. "Mit mir wird es Enteignungen von Wohnraum in Berlin definitiv nicht geben. Ich schließe das kategorisch aus," Wegner said, in a clear signal aimed at Berlin's housing debate.

Power outage criticism and falling poll numbers

The convention took place against a backdrop of political turbulence. Current polls indicate a worse result for the CDU than in the previous Berlin Abgeordnetenhauswahl. "In Umfragen zeichnet sich derzeit ein schlechteres Ergebnis für die CDU als bei der letzten Wahl ab," according to reporting on the meeting. The CDU nonetheless continues to lead in opinion polls for the September vote.

Wegner has come under sustained criticism in recent months over his crisis management during a large-scale power outage in parts of Berlin. "Wegner war in den vergangenen Monaten wegen seines Krisenmanagement während eines großflächigen Stromausfalls in Teilen der Hauptstadt in die Kritik geraten," according to one account. The exact timeline of the Governing Mayor's activities on the day of the blackout has not been fully clarified.

Asked about the power outage day, Wegner dismissed further inquiries, saying "alles gesagt" ("everything has been said"). "Die CDU stellte sich anschließend aber hinter ihn," according to reporting that described the party rallying behind its leader.

Personnel turmoil and the Hundt affair

Further pressure has come from personnel controversies. Wegner and Education Senator Katharina Günther-Wünsch publicly disagreed about the timing of the start of their private relationship. There have been eleven departures at the senate and state secretary level during the term; only one involved the SPD, with the rest attributable to Wegner's office, according to a tally cited in coverage.

One of the more prominent departures involved Matthias Hundt, who was hired to fill a vacancy in early 2026 created when State Secretary Martina Klement moved to Brandenburg. Hundt has since been dismissed as a Kurzzeitstaatssekretär after a public prosecutor's office opened an investigation into him on suspicion of Insolvenzstraftaten (insolvency crimes). Wegner said he first met Hundt in August 2024 at an "Arbeitstreffen zu Themen der Luftverkehrsbranche" and praised his CV as "sehr beeindruckend" when he was hired. He has also said he knew nothing of Hundt's prior failed application in Dresden, the court case that followed, his poor reputation in Saxon CDU circles, or the criminal investigation at the time of the appointment.

Wegner and Günther-Wünsch had previously encountered Hundt at a December 2022 education event at which Hundt gave a talk titled "Was Berlin von Sachsen lernen kann." According to Tagesspiegel, Günther-Wünsch was also present at the August 2024 meeting with Hundt. Hundt thanked the participants on LinkedIn afterward, specifically mentioning Günther-Wünsch for "den sehr intensiven Tag und die lebhaften Diskussionen," and Günther-Wünsch reacted with a 'Like'.

Wegner has also said he was unaware of issues in the funding scandal ("Fördergeldaffäre") involving his administration.

Framing the vote as a 'Schicksalswahl'

Closing his convention speech, Wegner cast the September vote as decisive. "Ich glaube, diese Wahl ist eine Schicksalswahl," he said, and warned: "Es geht ums Ganze." He also argued that "in Berlin müsse gesunder Menschenverstand statt linksgrüner Ideologie regieren" and pledged to fight to ensure "der pragmatische Kurs weitergeführt werde."