Berlin – As Berlin continues to recover from the severe power outages that impacted the southwest of the city in early January, questions are mounting for Governing Mayor Kai Wegner (53, CDU) regarding his account of events during the crisis. Wegner initially stated he was “at the phone all day” working from his home office. However, it was later revealed that he was, in fact, playing tennis with his partner during the afternoon. Now, further scrutiny suggests even that revised account may be inaccurate, raising concerns about transparency and accountability.
Approximately two and a half months have passed since around 100,000 Berlin residents were left without heat in freezing temperatures. The outages were initially attributed to what authorities described as “left-wing extremist” sabotage of the power grid. While temperatures have since risen, the political fallout for Berlin’s mayor is far from over.
Governing Mayor Kai Wegner (center) on January 4th in front of a Berlin emergency shelter
According to a report by the “Tagesspiegel,” Wegner’s timeline of events on the day of the crisis is now being questioned. The report indicates that Wegner exchanged brief text messages with Berlin Senator for the Interior, Iris Spranger (64, SPD) and was in contact with the Berlin Senate Chancellery. Later in the day, he reportedly spoke with Economics Senator Franziska Giffey (47, SPD), who had previously been unable to reach him. However, the crucial point of contention revolves around Wegner’s claim of phone calls with crisis management teams, the Chancellery, the federal government, Stromnetz Berlin, and the Interior Ministry.
No Contact with the Chancellery?
Wegner stated that these conversations took place not in the morning of February 3rd, but rather in the afternoon. The “Tagesspiegel” report suggests that the phone call with Stromnetz Berlin did not occur before his tennis match, nor did contact with the Chancellery or the Interior Ministry. Wegner and his partner, Katharina Günther-Wünsch (42, CDU), the Senator for Education, were reportedly on the tennis court around midday.
As of this writing, there has been no official response from the mayor’s office regarding these new revelations. The situation could prove politically damaging for Wegner, who has been facing declining approval ratings. Recent polling data from INSA shows the CDU currently at 22 percent, a decrease from the 28.2 percent received in the 2023 election.
Kai Wegner has served as the Governing Mayor of Berlin since April 27, 2023. Prior to that, he was a member of the German Bundestag from 2005 to 2021 and a member of the Berlin House of Representatives from 1999 to 2005 and again from 2021 to 2023, where he served as the CDU’s parliamentary group leader. He has also been the chairman of the Berlin CDU since 2019. Wegner began his political career in the Junge Union (Young Union) in 1989.
The unfolding situation raises questions about the leadership and crisis management capabilities of the Berlin mayor. As investigations continue, the public will be looking for a clear and consistent account of events, and a demonstration of accountability from those in power. The next steps for Wegner and his administration will be crucial in restoring public trust.
