Who is Markus Söder?
Söder, a native of Nuremberg born in 1967, studied law and edited for Bayerischer Rundfunk before winning a seat in the Bavarian parliament in 1994. He then held the CSU general secretaryship, and after that the Bavarian ministries for federal and European affairs, the environment and finance. In March 2018 he became Minister-President and in January 2019 CSU chair. He wanted to be the CDU/CSU's shared candidate for Chancellor in 2021, but Armin Laschet got the nomination. Following the October 2023 state election, his coalition with the Free Voters returned him as Minister-President.
Previously: Bavarian Minister of Finance (2011-2018) · Bavarian Minister of the Environment and Health (2008-2011) · Bavarian Minister for Federal and European Affairs (2007-2008) · CSU General Secretary (2003-2007)
Documented positions
- In October 2026 he came out against Berlin plans to socialise large housing companies and demanded a firewall against working with Die Linke.Source: zdfheute.de
- Also in October 2026, he asked for the system that equalises finances among the states to be overhauled, and singled out Berlin as the main recipient.Source: zdfheute.de
- In September 2026 he claimed that the wrong kind of social spending takes up too much of Germany's money, and he urged Bärbel Bas, who was then labour minister, to act.Source: zdfheute.de
- He rejects cooperating with the AfD. Doing so would split the Union, he warned in July 2026, and the party is on a more radical course.Source: zdfheute.de
- A June 2018 order from his government put crosses at the entrances to Bavarian state buildings.Source: thetablet.co.uk
- A return to the closed nuclear plants was too late, he said in March 2026, and he backed small modular reactors and up to 400 million euros for a fusion demonstration reactor.Source: zdfheute.de
- In March 2024 he called on Germany to supply Taurus cruise missiles to Ukraine.Source: t-online.de
- Bavaria would apply the new federal cannabis law restrictively, with strict fines, he announced in 2024.Source: lto.de
Record
In March 2020 Bavaria became, under Söder, the first state to impose statewide restrictions on leaving home, and in November 2021 he called for a general Covid vaccine mandate. Bavaria's economic strength and his place in the federal coalition are what supporters cite. Critics cite changes of position, nuclear power being one example.
He ruled out toppling Chancellor Merz in 2026 while pressing for changes in the government. He also backed Merz in a dispute over a cabinet post and put forward the Bavarian parliament president, Ilse Aigner, as a candidate for Federal President. Once the September 2026 state elections were over, he said the federal government must speed up.
In their words
“Wir brauchen keine Kremlknechte im Kanzleramt.”
