Nagold, Baden-Württemberg – Bavaria’s Minister-President Markus Söder (CSU) and Manuel Hagel, CDU state leader and candidate for Baden-Württemberg’s upcoming election, have announced plans to revive the so-called “Südschiene” (South Axis) — a traditional political partnership between Germany’s two southern states.
“We want to really step on the gas again,” Hagel said, declaring the initiative as “Südschiene reloaded.” He emphasized that cooperation between Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg had always provided Germany with “strength and stability,” pushing the entire federation forward.
Söder: “Germany without the South would be broke”
Söder, speaking alongside Hagel in Nagold near the Black Forest, underscored the South’s economic power within Germany. “Bavaria could exist without Germany,” he quipped, “but Germany without the South would be completely broke.”
He included Baden-Württemberg in that statement, referring to the Länderfinanzausgleich – Germany’s financial equalization system – under which both southern states are among the few net contributors that help finance other regions. “It cannot be that a few states fund half of the republic,” Söder added pointedly.
Söder endorses Hagel for Baden-Württemberg’s top job
Looking ahead to the state election in March, Söder voiced clear support for his political ally: “I want him to become the next Minister-President of Baden-Württemberg.”
He also noted that he had maintained constructive relations with the current Green Minister-President, Winfried Kretschmann, but sees Hagel as someone who can bring “fresh energy” to southern cooperation.
Hagel calls for optimism: “We live in a great country”
Hagel criticized what he described as an increasingly negative public mood across Germany. “We must not allow the country to be talked down,” he said, urging a renewed sense of confidence in Germany’s potential. “We live in a great country,” Hagel concluded, drawing applause from local supporters.
New ideas for the South Axis
As a concrete proposal under the “Südschiene reloaded” banner, Hagel suggested returning the inheritance tax to state control, arguing that this would better reflect the economic realities of Germany’s southern regions.
Söder, meanwhile, couldn’t resist a friendly jab at Baden-Württemberg’s education system: “There’s one area where you could catch up — schools,” he joked. “It used to be our strongest competition. Performance still matters if we want to prepare children for life. You know,” he added with a grin, “I even conduct surprise performance checks in my cabinet.”
What the renewed alliance means
The renewed “South Axis” between Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg aims to strengthen the voice of southern Germany in national debates — particularly on taxation, education, and federal funding. Both leaders hope that by coordinating their political strategies, they can reinforce the South’s influence within the German federation and position their regions as engines of economic and social stability.
