Berlin Mayor Withdraws from Re-Election After Tennis Lie

Berlin’s Governing Mayor Kai Wegner (CDU) has been forced to withdraw his candidacy for re-election after it emerged he repeatedly lied about playing tennis while 45,000 households and 2,000 businesses were left without power and heating in freezing temperatures. The scandal, dubbed “Tennisgate” by German media, has destroyed his political credibility and triggered a dramatic collapse of the CDU in the polls.

The Blackout and the Lie

On January 3, 2026, far-left activists set fire to a power distribution station in southern Berlin, causing the largest power outage since World War II. Tens of thousands of residents were left without electricity and heating for up to a week during freezing winter conditions, as reported by rbb24.

At a press conference on January 4, Wegner claimed he had been “locked in my home office in the truest sense” all day, coordinating the crisis response via phone. “I didn’t get bored or put my feet up, but I was on the phone all day trying to coordinate and inform myself as best I could,” he said. In reality, Wegner played tennis between 1:00 PM and 2:00 PM at a facility on the Berlin city border with his partner, CDU Senator Katharina Günther-Wünsch.

Further Revelations

The scandal deepened in July 2026 when it emerged that Wegner had also lied about his morning activities on the day of the blackout. According to rbb24, a court-ordered disclosure obtained by Tagesspiegel revealed that Wegner made NO official phone calls before 12:45 PM on January 3 — only text messages. His first call was to Economy Senator Franziska Giffey (SPD) at 12:45 PM, shortly before he went to play tennis.

Wegner had initially claimed he began making calls shortly after 8:00 AM. The admission came after the Berlin administrative court compelled the Senatskanzlei to release his communications records following a lawsuit by Tagesspiegel.

Political Fallout and Withdrawal

On July 10, 2026, Wegner announced at a hastily convened press conference that he was withdrawing his candidacy for the Berlin state election scheduled for September 20, 2026, as reported by rbb24. He will remain as Governing Mayor until the election but has ruled out serving in any senatorial role afterward.

“When I realize that I can no longer get through with the issues that are decisive for the people, there must be consequences. The city of Berlin and my party are more important to me than my person,” Wegner said. He also acknowledged his error, stating: “Believe me, I am the most angry about it myself. And that was also crap.”

The CDU has since proposed Finance Senator Stefan Evers as the new lead candidate for the September election.

CDU in Freefall

The “Tennisgate” scandal has compounded existing problems for the CDU in Berlin. The July 2026 BerlinTrend poll, conducted by Infratest dimap for rbb24, shows the CDU at just 17 percent — in fourth place behind the Left Party (20 percent), Greens (19 percent), and AfD (18 percent). The CDU’s coalition with the SPD no longer commands a majority.

This marks a dramatic reversal from the 2023 election, when the CDU won 28.2 percent of the vote on a law-and-order platform. The party has also been damaged by a series of other scandals, including a drink-driving incident involving a former CDU senator and a funding scandal that led to the resignation of former culture senator Sarah Wedl-Wilson.

Opposition Response

SPD lead candidate Steffen Krach has been unequivocal in his condemnation. “It is completely clear that someone who has demonstrably deceived the people of Berlin about his crisis management on the day of the power outage and lied multiple times is not suitable for the office of Governing Mayor,” Krach told rbb24. He has ruled out any coalition role for Wegner after the election, though he stated the SPD would not force a coalition breakup before September.

Analysis and Implications

The scandal represents a dramatic fall from grace for Wegner, who became Governing Mayor in April 2023 after the chaotic 2021 Berlin election was declared invalid. His rise was built on a law-and-order platform that resonated with voters frustrated by administrative failures. Now, the CDU faces an existential crisis in the capital, with just over two months to rebuild its campaign under a new candidate.

The broader implications for German politics are significant. With traditional parties weakened, the Left Party has emerged as the strongest force in Berlin, potentially setting the stage for a left-wing coalition with the Greens and SPD after September. The election on September 20 will determine whether the CDU can recover from “Tennisgate” or whether Berlin’s political landscape is permanently reshaped.

What to Watch For

All eyes are now on Stefan Evers, the proposed CDU replacement, who has limited time to rebuild the party’s campaign. The key question is whether the CDU can arrest its decline or whether the Left Party will lead Berlin’s next government for the first time in the city’s post-reunification history.