Wiesbaden (dpa/lhe) - With the change in office of the Hessian Prime Minister, the Greens parliamentary group leader in the state parliament, Mathias Wagner, believes that the cooperation of the black-green government coalition has changed. "Boris Rhein has a different style than his predecessor," said Wagner in an interview with the German Press Agency in Wiesbaden. "He relies much more on the personal responsibility of the individual members of the government." The parliamentary group leader explained that the government factions of the CDU and the Greens had also played an even more important role. Rhein took over the office from Volker Bouffier (CDU) at the end of May 2022.
According to Wagner, the roles in the Hessian coalition have changed since the federal elections. The Greens are now in the federal and state governments, the CDU is in the federal opposition for the first time in 16 years. "There are still certain role-finding problems," said Wagner. "Sometimes the CDU is too relieved that we are no longer responsible for the federal government." Wagner advocated not conducting a permanent election campaign in 2023 with a view to the upcoming state elections in autumn. "From the middle of the year there is still enough time for the election campaign," he explained. "Then it will be about who can best lead our country through the current crises." When asked whether he would be available for a ministerial post in a possible new government with Green participation, Wagner explained: "It is of course attractive to help shape the fate of our country in the government. At the moment, however, such questions do not arise for me."
