The Mayor of Berlin withdraws from the candidacy for a second term, following a scandal related to the management of a massive power outage.

The Mayor of Berlin, Kai Wegner, announced on Friday that he is stepping down from his candidacy for a second term, two months before the elections in the German capital, in the context of a scandal regarding the management of a massive power outage caused by arson in January. Wegner, leader of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), acknowledged that he can no longer convey clear messages due to the negative debates that have overshadowed his work.

The CDU is in free fall in the polls, having only 17% of the votes. His resignation comes after revelations that he may have lied about how he managed the crisis on January 3, when a fire left over 100,000 people without power.

Although he acknowledged communication errors, Wegner claims that he resolved the crisis faster than planned. His deputy, Stefan Evers, is considered the favorite to succeed him. The elections in Berlin are scheduled for September 20.