The direct candidates of the Greens in the district of Munich for the Bavarian state elections next year have been determined. On Wednesday evening, the party again nominated Claudia Köhler from Unterhaching for the northern constituency and Markus Büchler from Oberschleißheim for the southern constituency with a unanimous vote. Previously, there had been speculation as to whether the two members of the state parliament would be contesting in the electoral area of ​​their home municipality differently than in the election five years ago, because they might have a better chance of winning the direct mandate. But the Greens stick to the successful version of 2018. “We never said that we would swap again,” said Köhler, “there was no discussion at all,” emphasized Büchler.

Due to the Bavarian electoral system, according to which the first and second votes are counted together, they had a better chance of winning seats in the state parliament in this way. “But we see it that we are both responsible for the entire district,” says Köhler. Above all, both now feel well connected and well known both in the south and in the north. “We do a lot together,” says Büchler and Köhler makes it clear: “It’s an artificial border anyway.” And it doesn’t matter in which half of the district they compete: “We’re fighting for the direct mandate.”

Transport expert and former Minister

Both see themselves closer than in their first state election. Büchler finds it particularly exciting, as a transport expert from the Greens parliamentary group, to meet former transport minister Kerstin Schreyer (CSU) directly during the election campaign. “I want the Greens to govern in Bavaria! Personally, I want to help solve the enormous traffic problems, especially here in the Munich metropolitan area. For me, that means a punctual and intelligently developed S-Bahn, cheap and easy tickets, safe and secure cycle paths, a dense network of charging stations,” he said when he was nominated.

Köhler is deputy chairwoman of the budget committee because the state parliament and pointed out that it is crucial what money was used for: “Only a functioning infrastructure with wind power turnaround and geothermal energy enables the energy and the lower prices. Only teachers and optimal childcare ensure equal opportunities and participation. It’s not just social, but hard economic factors that we’ll use to bring Bavaria forward.” It’s clear that they want to be part of Bavaria’s government in the future. “And whoever wants us, has to vote for us,” says Köhler Berlin saw that arithmetic games didn’t work.

In addition to the two state parliament candidates, the district Greens have put forward the candidates for the district council. These candidates are also about re-election: Inclusion Officer Frauke Schwaiblmair, a psychologist from Gräfelfing, is running in the Munich-Land-Nord constituency. Martin Wagner from Unterschleißheim, managing director of the Catholic rural people’s movement, is again running for office in the southern district.