 Ralf Stegner became leader of the Schleswig-Holstein SPD in March 2007, after which point the relationship between the parties of government began to deteriorate.His criticism of the CDU led them to demand he resign as Minister of the Interior, which he did in January 2008.In September of the same year he was chosen as the SPD's lead candidate for the next state election, which was expected to take place in 2010.