Berlin mayor under fire for playing tennis during blackout crisis

Berlin's ruling mayor Kai Wegner faces mounting pressure to resign after playing tennis during a major power blackout caused by left-wing extremists, with opposition parties and former mayors demanding his removal.

Wegner told reporters Sunday he had "been on the phone all day" during Saturday's terrorist attack that left more than 40,000 Berlin households without power.

However, the Senate Chancellery confirmed to state public broadcaster rbb that he played tennis with his partner, Education Senator Katharina Günther-Wünsch, between 1 pm and 2 pm on Saturday.

Günther-Wünsch is also facing criticism. As education senator, she faced urgent tasks as emergency accommodation was set up in numerous sports halls at short notice for those affected by the blackout.

Wegner defended his actions Thursday, saying, "There's no reason to apologise if you end a crisis a day and a half beforehand. We managed it well."

The state chancellery emphasised Wegner was available at all times and resumed work immediately after the match. However, tens of thousands of Berlin residents remained without power in freezing temperatures while he played tennis.

The incident threatens Wegner's political ambitions, and his image as a consistent advocate for law and order, which brought him to power in Berlin, is said to be crumbling.

A rise from Berlin mayor to German chancellor, as Willy Brandt once achieved, now seems unthinkable.

"Kai Wegner must resign," FDP party deputy chairman Wolfgang Kubicki wrote on X. The Berlin FDP, BSW and AfD parties are all also calling for Wegner's resignation.

Former Berlin mayor Walter Momper from the SPD party called Wegner's tennis game "absurd" and called for a comprehensive investigation, according to dpa.

Wegner is scheduled to answer questions before the Berlin House of Representatives' Committee on Internal Affairs on Monday. The Greens submitted the motion, according to Berliner Morgenpost.

"We consider it essential that the governing mayor explain himself to parliament," Green parliamentary group interior policy spokesperson Vasili Franco said. Wegner also intends to make a government statement next Thursday.

Despite backing from Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who declared "there is nothing to criticise in the procedures," support within the coalition is dwindling.

"This is something that has shaken credibility. It is always important to stand by political mistakes," CDU politician Philipp Amthor said on Markus Lanz chat show.

The incident could test Berlin's black-red coalition. Economics Senator Franziska Giffey from the SPD party said, "I can only say that I handled the situation differently."

"I don't know what's worse: that he lied to Berliners or that a tennis match was more important to him than the local people," SPD top candidate Steffen Krach told Tagesspiegel.

Wegner, elected mayor in 2023, emphasised at the time he wanted to "create a government that works together reliably on the problems of this city," but the CDU politician can hardly count on re-election at present.

Wegner cancelled an inquiry for comment from Euronews, citing scheduling reasons.