Beckstein's resignation followed that of former CSU leader Erwin Huber who relinquished his post Tuesday.
The CSU had elected the two men to their positions only a year ago. The resignations came after the CSU's worst election showing in half a century.
Beckstein said at a brief news conference on Wednesday, Oct 1 he would not be available to lead the planned coalition government in the state because he lacked the "necessary degree of support" within the party.
Beckstein had refused Monday to shoulder the blame for the election disaster, insisting Bavarians still wanted a CSU-led government, but that they no longer wanted the conservatives to govern alone.
Both Huber and Beckstein were blamed for a series of policy blunders over issues such as education, a much-loathed CSU leader to resign following election debacle ...
Heavy Election Losses Likely to End CSU's Lone Rule in Bavaria ...
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Dual replacement Bildunterschrift: Großansicht des Bildes mit der Bildunterschrift: CSU Vice Chairman Horst Seehofer, right, is tipped to succeed Beckstein Horst Seehofer, agriculture and consumer affairs minister in Chancellor Angela Merkel's cabinet in Berlin, reportedly stands a good chance of replacing Beckstein as premier.
Seehofer, who is also CSU vice-chairman, confirmed Tuesday he would stand for the job nearly one year after his failed attempt to gain the party chairmanship. The 59-year-old's prospects of success nosedived last year after revelations surfaced his mistress had given birth to his child.
Seemingly having redeemed himself among party faithful, Seehofer, whose base is in the CSU's powerful northern chapter, has also been touted to fill the position left vacant by Huber.
"We will make it clear to people that we have understood Sunday's election result," Seehofer told reporters Tuesday, adding that an upcoming party conference was about "stabilizing the party" and making it "fresh and modern."
Ruinous election result Bildunterschrift: Großansicht des Bildes mit der Bildunterschrift: Bavarians turned their backs on the CSU in large numbers and turned towards Bavaria's smaller parties The CSU, which had single-handedly ruled the German state for more than four decades and is a key party in Merkel's federal coalition, lost nearly one third of its voter support Sunday.
Left with only 43.4 percent, the CSU -- Bavaria's sister party to Merkel's Christian Democratic Union -- fell short of a majority and will be forced to form a coalition government, all factors which have led to the downfall of Beckstein and Huber.
Analysts have said that the Bavaria outcome could hurt Merkel's chances of retaining power in federal elections scheduled for Sept. 2009.
CSU Secretary General Christine Haderthauer, who herself resigned Tuesday in the wake of the weekend's poll, said the disastrous result was a black day for the party.
In the last state elections in 2003, the CSU polled 60.7 percent of the vote in the strongly Catholic state, where some of Germany's leading companies have their headquarters, including Siemens and BMW.
The party's stated intent had been to retain its absolute majority in the 180-seat Parliament in Munich. "We have clearly failed to achieve our goal," Haderthauer said.
(Deutsche Welle)
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