Overview

• Bavaria’s premier traveled on August 26–27 from Hamburg aboard the Halunder Jet for an official reception, an island tour, a Börteboot trip to the Düne and a cultural evening.
• The visit followed an invitation from Mayor Thorsten Pollmann and tourism director Katharina Schlicht after Söder’s quip that Sylt and Helgoland would be Bavarian under fiscal transfers.
• Söder touted Helgoland as a must-see alongside the Zugspitze and said he looked forward to fish, noting he had previously visited privately.
• Schleswig-Holstein’s minister-president Daniel Günther said he was not forewarned and described the trip as undertaken on Söder’s own initiative, while wishing him calm seas.
• Commentary in national media framed the stop as a PR-heavy signal linked to Söder’s push on the Länderfinanzausgleich and Bavaria’s role as a major net contributor.