2ND Bavarian Premier Stoiber announces resignation


dpa German Press Agency
Published: Thursday January 18, 2007

Munich- Embattled Bavarian Premier Edmund Stoiber, 65, a key powerbroker in German national politics who has withstood weeks of attacks from within his Christian Social Union (CSU) party, announced plans to retire Thursday. Amid a crisis that has threatened to undermine Chancellor Angela Merkel's federal government, he said in Munich he would step down as premier of the prosperous south-east German state of Bavaria on September 30 and give up the CSU leadership around the same time.

"It was important to me to act at the proper moment for the sake of Bavaria and the CSU," Stoiber told a Munich news conference.

A scramble began for his dual posts as premier and CSU leader, bringing fears in Berlin of a prolonged power struggle in Bavaria.

The CSU, which only operates on Bavarian soil, is the "sister party" to Merkel's Christian Democrats, but provides both an important bloc of votes in Berlin and a platform for dissent against Merkel's policies.

Merkel said in Berlin she "respected" Stoiber's decision and would support him in his final months in office.

"I believe he will do what he can to keep the CSU a strong force," she said.

Party insiders said senior CSU figures had agreed to nominate Guenther Beckstein, 63, the state's interior minister, as new premier in October, while the Bavarian minister of the economy, Erwin Huber, 60, would be nominated for the party leadership.

However rivals denied this was a done deal and Stoiber said he would meet senior CSU figures on Friday to discuss the succession.

Beckstein, a folksy lawyer, confirmed he was running for the premiership.

He has won national prominence in Germany by applying tough law and order policies, but has also been praised for fairness and for participating in demonstrations against racism and neo-Nazis.

CSU officials had pressed Stoiber, who has been premier since 1993 and party leader since 1999, to step down amid concern that his previous popularity had slumped, threatening the party at the polls.

Stoiber was under fire nationally for blocking reforms to Germany's expensive public health system. He complained that Bavaria would have to pay a greater share of the costs than poor states.

Stoiber's ratings began to decline in November 2005 when he abandoned plans to become a federal minister in Berlin, disappointing supporters who had hoped to see him become chancellor some day after narrowly losing in a 2002 match with incumbent Gerhard Schroeder.

The centre-right CSU has power greater than its presence in only one of Germany's 16 states would suggest, since the Christian Democrats are reluctant to adopt policies without backing from the smaller partner.

The first call for Stoiber to resign came in December from a minor up-country woman CSU official, Gabrielle Pauli.

The disclosure of an attempt by a Stoiber aide to find embarrassing information about her led to an outcry.

Pauli met Stoiber Thursday for 90 minutes and she later praised his move, saying he had wanted to avoid a split in the CSU party.

© 2006 dpa German Press Agency