At the start of their coalition negotiations on Thursday, they named the heads of 22 working groups that should tie down the details of a first traffic light coalition at the federal level.
“We have set ourselves this ambitious schedule because we are of the opinion that Germany should have a stable government as soon as possible this year,” said FDP General Secretary Volker Wissing. He presented the appointments in a joint statement with SPD General Secretary Lars Klingbeil and the Greens federal manager Michael Kellner. “Before Christmas became the St. Nicholas week,” said Kellner. So far, the stated goal has been to form a government before Christmas.
By the end of November, an agreement is to be presented, the new Federal Chancellor will be elected and the new government formed in the week from December 6th, as the three politicians made clear. The previous Vice Chancellor and Finance Minister Scholz would then succeed Angela Merkel (CDU), who was elected Chancellor in 2005. The SPD had become the strongest force in the federal election at the end of September. Klingbeil said that the work of the individual working groups would start next Wednesday. These should work out positions by November 10th – i.e. within two weeks – which should then go to the main negotiating groups.
“No weekends, no night sessions”
How often they meet during this time is up to them, according to the Greens federal manager, Kellner. But it still applies: “No weekends, no night meetings”. The agreements in the exploratory paper should no longer be shaken.
Looking at the schedule, Kellner spoke of a complex undertaking. “It will certainly become knotted one day. Anything else would surprise me.” But he is sure that the coalition negotiations will succeed. The schedule sets a target, but this is not set in stone either. For the Greens there is now a chance to be in a federal government for the first time in 16 years and to shape a “new departure”.
Wissing spoke of a tight schedule, but also referred to bad experiences with the Jamaica negotiations in 2017. “We have already had different experiences elsewhere: if you talk about things too long, the problems don’t get any smaller , and the hurdles don’t get any smaller, “he said. “The explorations have given us courage. We have been able to remove hurdles that have now led us optimistically and confidently into this phase of the coalition negotiations.” In the event of a result, the FDP would be “able to convene a special party conference even at short notice”.
First networking meeting
A first meeting of the main negotiators at the Berlin exhibition center on Thursday should serve the purpose of networking. High-level representatives from each party should meet with the leaders of the working groups negotiating the details of a coalition agreement.
The sticking points in the search for a program for a traffic light coalition are primarily differences in tax and financial policy and the right path to climate protection.
After the 2017 general election, negotiations to form a new government had taken months. After talks between the Union, the Greens and the FDP failed, a coalition of the Union and the SPD was formed.
