Bavarian leader touts ties with US on visit to ranch near Houston

Bavarian Premier Markus Söder has begun a US tour with a stop at a ranch near Houston.

Söder, a close ally of Chancellor Friedrich Merz, touted the importance of close ties between the United States, Germany and Europe on Sunday despite current difficulties.

"There is a long tradition of solidarity and relations between Europe and the United States of America – and it has always been good for our history to stick together," said Söder. "We therefore wish to continue along this path in the future."

On Monday, Söder’s itinerary includes a visit to the NASA Mission Control Centre in Houston.

“It’s a dream to come here to Texas,” said Söder. Bavaria and Texas have a lot in common, he argued.

"You know, Washington is a long way from Texas, Berlin is a long way from Bavaria," added Söder. "So, ultimately, we know how politics really works."

Much to his delight, the premier was treated not only to an authentic Texan barbecue, but also to a traditional cowboy hat complete with a belt buckle and the Texan flag. 

Söder is the first Bavarian leader to visit the United States since Edmund Stoiber travelled to California in 2005.

After Texas, he is heading to South Carolina, where BMW runs its largest and most important overseas plant, in Spartanburg.

He is also set to meet lawmakers including South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster, a Republican.

In Bavaria, Söder heads the conservative Christian Social Union (CSU), sister party to Merz's Christian Democrats.

To round off the visit, Söder plans to visit a historic site relating to the 250th anniversary of the US War of Independence, as the US prepares to celebrate the event.