

Currently released so far... 960 / 251,287
Articles
Browse latest releases
Browse by creation date
Browse by origin
Embassy Asuncion
Embassy Astana
Embassy Ashgabat
Embassy Ankara
Embassy Amman
Embassy Algiers
Embassy Addis Ababa
Embassy Abu Dhabi
Embassy Buenos Aires
Embassy Bucharest
Embassy Brussels
Embassy Bridgetown
Embassy Brasilia
Embassy Bishkek
Embassy Berlin
Embassy Beirut
Embassy Beijing
Embassy Bangkok
Embassy Bamako
Embassy Baku
Embassy Baghdad
Embassy Colombo
Embassy Chisinau
Embassy Caracas
Embassy Cairo
Consulate Casablanca
Consulate Cape Town
Mission USNATO
Embassy Muscat
Embassy Moscow
Embassy Mexico
Embassy Manama
Embassy Managua
Embassy Madrid
Consulate Munich
Secretary of State
Embassy Stockholm
Embassy Singapore
Embassy Seoul
Embassy Santiago
Embassy Sanaa
Consulate Shenyang
Consulate Shanghai
Consulate Sao Paulo
Embassy Tunis
Embassy Tripoli
Embassy The Hague
Embassy Tel Aviv
Embassy Tehran
Embassy Tegucigalpa
Embassy Tbilisi
Browse by tag
CH
CE
CA
CACM
CDB
CLINTON
CU
CASC
CJAN
CM
CO
CIA
CVIS
CMGT
COUNTER
COUNTERTERRORISM
CI
CS
CG
CF
CD
CV
CY
ENRG
ETTC
ECON
EINDETRD
EPET
ETRD
EINV
EG
EUN
ELAB
EU
EAID
EFIN
ECPS
EAIR
EAGR
EIND
EN
ELTN
EWWT
EMIN
EZ
ENVR
ECIP
ET
EFIS
EXTERNAL
EI
ELECTIONS
EREL
ECUN
EINVEFIN
KNNP
KIPR
KDEM
KWBG
KN
KPAL
KGIC
KRAD
KJUS
KISL
KPWR
KGHG
KFIN
KTFN
KCRM
KHLS
KSUM
KPIN
KS
KSCA
KAWK
KPAO
KTIP
KCOM
KTIA
KBIO
KWMN
KCOR
KZ
KDRG
KAWC
KIRF
KACT
KFRD
KR
KU
KMDR
KSEC
KOLY
KE
KPKO
KSPR
KGCC
KPRP
KG
KUNR
KCIP
KHIV
KDEMAF
PGOV
PHUM
PREL
PINR
PARM
PK
PTER
PBTS
PREF
PL
PAK
PINS
PE
PROP
POL
POLITICAL
PARTIES
PO
PSI
PA
PINT
PGOF
PHSA
PSOE
POLITICS
PBIO
PECON
PEPR
PM
Browse by classification
Community resources
courage is contagious
Viewing cable 09MUNICH273, GERMAN ELECTIONS: BAVARIA WINS BIG INFLUENCE IN
If you are new to these pages, please read an introduction on the structure of a cable as well as how to discuss them with others. See also the FAQs
Understanding cables
Every cable message consists of three parts:
- The top box shows each cables unique reference number, when and by whom it originally was sent, and what its initial classification was.
- The middle box contains the header information that is associated with the cable. It includes information about the receiver(s) as well as a general subject.
- The bottom box presents the body of the cable. The opening can contain a more specific subject, references to other cables (browse by origin to find them) or additional comment. This is followed by the main contents of the cable: a summary, a collection of specific topics and a comment section.
Discussing cables
If you find meaningful or important information in a cable, please link directly to its unique reference number. Linking to a specific paragraph in the body of a cable is also possible by copying the appropriate link (to be found at theparagraph symbol). Please mark messages for social networking services like Twitter with the hash tags #cablegate and a hash containing the reference ID e.g. #09MUNICH273.
Reference ID | Created | Released | Classification | Origin |
---|---|---|---|---|
09MUNICH273 | 2009-11-06 08:08 | 2010-11-28 18:06 | CONFIDENTIAL | Consulate Munich |
VZCZCXRO0861
OO RUEHAG RUEHROV RUEHSL RUEHSR
DE RUEHMZ #0273/01 3100821
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 060821Z NOV 09
FM AMCONSUL MUNICH
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4952
INFO RUCNMEU/EU INTEREST COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUCNFRG/FRG COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO IMMEDIATE 0314
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 MUNICH 000273
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR EUR/CE, DEPT ALSO FOR EUR/ERA
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/04/2019
TAGS: PGOV PREL EUN GM
SUBJECT: GERMAN ELECTIONS: BAVARIA WINS BIG INFLUENCE IN
THE NEW GERMAN GOVERNMENT
REF: BERLIN 1340
Classified By: CONSUL GENERAL CONRAD TRIBBLE FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D
)
SUMMARY
-------
¶1. (SBU) The Christian Social Union (CSU) in Bavaria has
celebrated the outcome of the federal coalition negotiations,
which awarded the party with three ministries and several
state secretary positions. The outcome appears to have
reinvigorated Horst Seehofer, Bavarian Minister President and
head of the CSU, recovering from a bout with the flu and
worse-than-expected results in the September 27 national
elections. Singling out newly sworn-in Defense Minister zu
Guttenberg for praise, Seehofer expects him to compete
successfully for world attention with new Foreign Minister
and FDP chairman Westerwelle. Seehofer has signaled that he
expects to be working with the FDP for a long time. End
Summary.
CSU Thrilled with Coalition Negotiations Results
--------------------------------------------- ---
¶2. (SBU) "We could not be more satisfied with the outcome,"
Michael Hohenberger, a senior State Chancery contact told us
October 28, adding that "even with a better election result
the CSU could hardly have emerged stronger in the new
cabinet." Although some Bavarian observers have deplored the
fact that the CSU lost ministerial posts in financial and
economic affairs at the Federal level, all agree that having
Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg as Defense Minister is a very
positive development. A CSU party senior advisor, Christian
Kattner, told us privately on the same day that he could
"understand Chancellor Merkel's point in giving the Finance
Ministry at this difficult time to an experienced man like
(former Interior Minister) Wolfgang Schaeuble (Christian
Democratic Union ) CDU) rather than to a young man at the
beginning of his political career."
¶3. (C) Kattner insisted that the CSU had left its mark with
regard to substance. M-P Seehofer had promised tax cuts,
which are now in the works, and aid measures for farmers, for
which he obtained an agreement on public aid amounting to 700
million Euros. The CDU/CSU stood united in rejecting FDP
demands they considered too business friendly at the expense
of social justice concerns, he said. Bavarian Justice
Minister Merk, who at the beginning of the coalition
negotiations expressed concerns about FDP "weaknesses" on
internal security and counterterrorism, told the CG October
27 that "she was very comfortable with the results."
Strong CSU Bavarian Line-Up in Berlin
-------------------------------------
¶4. (SBU) As for the Cabinet, in addition to zu Guttenberg at
Defense, there is Peter Ramsauer heading the Transportation
Ministry, where he will have national influence and a huge
budget. Ilse Aigner (CSU) remains Minister of Agriculture.
Five of the the parliamentarian State Secretaries are
Bavarian, four from the CSU r and one from the FDP. This
gives the CSU and Bavaria generally important influence at
the sub-Cabinet level and sets up influential and direct
Bavarian connections between the Bundestag and Cabinet. In
the Defense Ministry, well-respected Christian Schmidt
retained his position, as did Gerd Mueller in Agriculture.
Hartmut Koschyk moves to the Finance Ministry, providing the
CSU with important direct influence with Minister Schaeuble.
The 35-year old Andreas Scheuer from Passau will assist Peter
Ramsauer at the Transportation Ministry. The fifth Bavarian
is Max Stadler (FDP), who will support Sabine
Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger (FDP) at the Justice Ministry. A
well-respected lawyer from Passau, Stadler is an excellent
choice and a real legal expert with American experience as a
1993 International Visitor Program alumnus.
Seehofer Expects Long-Term Cooperation with FDP
--------------------------------------------- --
¶5. (SBU) At the CSU party convention on October 26, where
the coalition agreement was approved, MP Seehofer made clear
that the CSU,s main rival will now be the FDP, "which no
longer is a small party but clearly intends to become a
people,s party," he said, predicting "they will be targeting
the same voters as the CSU." The CSU, he added, will have to
act as the guardian of the little people "to ensure that
MUNICH 00000273 002 OF 002
social justice prevails." Later, upon signing the coalition
agreement in Berlin, Seehofer indicated that he intends to
remain in the CSU leadership. Noting that this was the
second time he had signed an agreement with the FDP,
following the agreement in Bavaria one year earlier, he said
he might be able to do the same again for the third and
fourth time in 2013. The media jumped on this statement
since it insinuated that Seehofer had given up hope of the
CSU regaining its absolute majority in the 2013 Bavarian
state elections. "This statement might come back to haunt
him," one journalist commented.
Comment
-------
¶6. (C) Bavarian leaders are strong at home and in Berlin.
Contrary to media speculation, Horst Seehofer remains
uncontested as CSU chairman and Bavarian Minister-President.
Our contacts in the party, State Chancery and CSU caucus
unanimously rejected speculation about an imminent revolt
against his leadership, although several acknowledge there
will be discussions of a possible change in 2011 in
preparation for the next Bavarian election in 2013. In the
capital, Defense Minister zu Guttenberg will be a serious
competitor to Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle on the
diplomatic parquet. In foreign and security affairs, zu
Guttenberg is better connected in Washington, fluent in
English, and more experienced in the key issues. Moreover,
his good relations with the USG, which started in Bavaria,
extend beyond the Department of State to the Department of
Defense and Congress, notably through the vehicle of the
annual Munich Security Conference (next iteration February
5-7, 2010), where he is a regular and prominent organizer and
participant.
TRIBBLE