State election 2023 – Helmut Markwort is looking for a voting district – district of Munich
In the state elections in autumn 2023, Helmut Markwort will no longer stand as a direct candidate for the FDP in the Munich-Land Süd constituency. This has his spokeswoman Ursula Gresser South German time confirmed on Monday upon request. The 85-year-old is reacting to the fact that the FDP district executive in Grünwalder Marco Deutsch prefers candidates from a district association for the election in year. Markwort, the Sauerlach councilwoman plans to continue his political career – albeit in a different constituency.
The journalist Markwort, the news magazine focus founded and published and is at home in Munich, surprisingly ran as a candidate for the FDP in the district of Munich in the 2018 state elections and was also elected to the Maximilianeum. With his strong first vote result of 10.3 percent in the constituency Munich-Land Süd, he played a part in pulling the Liberals over the five percent hurdle. Thanks to him as a driving force in the constituency, the FDP won 9.5 percent of the two votes.
“It’s fine if they don’t want you here anymore.”
But Markwort obviously cannot rely on the gratitude of his party friends: in mid-June, Marco Deutsch, 60, an internal party competitor for the candidacy in the Munich-Land Süd constituency, applied. The former racing driver enjoys the trust and backing of FDP district chairman Michael Ritz. Both live in Grünwald and know each other. The application for the direct candidacy led Markwort to realize that he was no longer wanted within the district FDP. “Helmut Markwort would have liked to apply again for the candidacy in the southern constituency,” says his spokeswoman Gresser. “But Michael Ritz already has his own candidate. And then Mr. Markwort said: It’s fine if they don’t want you here anymore.” Apparently someone is offended. When Deutsch declared his candidacy in June, it still sounded as if the 85-year-old would not sneak in without a fight. “Mr. Markwort will definitely start again,” was his employee’s slogan at the time.
Ritz, meanwhile, says it was a conscious decision to propose to someone “from within our own ranks”, Markwort actually comes from the FDP Bogenhausen. “But we have a very good relationship,” assured the FDP district chairman. “Helmut Markwort will now run elsewhere and the FDP will not lose his votes.” Above all, Markwort is a “second voter” whose candidacy benefits the entire party. Together with the FDP district chairman Axel Schmidt from Oberhaching, he himself sought to talk to Markwort. It was said that other district associations – such as Freisinger – were looking for direct candidates.
At which district association Markwort is applying for a direct candidacy remains a secret for the time being. Referring to Gresser, a newspaper speaks of a constituency “northeast of Bogenhausen”. Gresser announced that the board of directors of the FDP district association in question, which had already unanimously agreed on Markwort, wanted to go public this week. “We don’t want to anticipate that. Just this much: It’s a district association in Upper Bavaria.” Markwort, i.e. his spokeswoman, is also aiming for a promising position on the Upper Bavarian list for the state elections. “Among the top ten,” said Gresser. In this way, the re-election of the 85-year-old would be largely secured.
For the time being, Marco Deutsch remains the only candidate within the FDP for the direct mandate in the Munich-Land Süd constituency. In his own words, Michael Ritz, in addition to German, addressed and asked all those who, from his point of view, would also be eligible for a direct candidacy. “But nobody else wants to run for office,” said the FDP district chief. cannot be completely ruled out that another applicant or an applicant will throw their hat into the ring. The party members have until October to nominate the direct candidate.
In the Munich-Land North constituency, on the other hand, there are already three candidates with Katharina Diem, Thomas Jännert and Veit Wiswesser. There will also be a fight vote, which the district chairman expressly welcomes. “It shows that things have gotten complicated for us and that something has happened in terms of personnel. We’re in a good position,” says Ritz. It used to be difficult to find suitable applicants in the Munich-Land Nord constituency.