Thuringia: CDU, BSW and SPD agree on coalition agreement

The coalition agreement between the CDU, BSW and SPD in Thuringia is in place. A good eleven weeks after the state elections, the leaders of the three parties agreed on the draft government contract. There is only fine work to be done in the next two days, it was said from those involved after a two-day retreat between the party leaders in Ilmenau. The coalition agreement is expected to be presented on Friday. This means that a large part of the path to a new Thuringian government and possibly the first so-called blackberry coalition in Germany has been completed.

However, the approval of the party committees of all three partners is still missing. The BSW has already announced a party conference for December 7th, which will focus on the members’ approval of the coalition agreement. Unlike the exploratory paper, this time party founder Sahra Wagenknecht gave positive signals about the planned coalition agreement. The SPD is planning a member survey.

The previous negotiations in Thuringia were influenced by Wagenknecht’s demands, especially on the topics of war and peace. The namesake of the BSW was now satisfied with the development of the discussions. According to everything she knows, her party’s planned coalition agreement with the CDU and SPD “looks significantly different than the exploratory paper. And we are very happy about that,” said Wagenknecht on the ARD talk show “Maischberger.” However, there had to be pressure for this.

The three parties had agreed on a preamble to the coalition agreement, which addressed the issue of war and peace, but had not yet satisfied Wagenknecht. The BSW wanted to readjust. Now it was said that the BSW’s peace policy positions would also play a role in the text.

According to those involved, the coalition agreement provides for concrete projects and goals in the areas of education, health, economy, migration, administrative modernization, social affairs and community development. Details were not given with reference to Friday. “We have made a good start that will noticeably improve the lives of Thuringians,” said the partners simply. The discussions were goal-oriented and pragmatic. Everyone involved has shown “that they are acting in the interests of the country across party political boundaries.”

During the two-day meeting since Monday, the layout of the ministries was also said to have been discussed. In addition to the Prime Minister, Thuringia currently has eight specialist ministries and a head of the State Chancellery with ministerial rank. Negotiating circles said that the departmental layout had not yet been finally discussed.

The CDU, BSW and SPD have 44 of 88 seats in the Thuringian parliament. A blackberry coalition named after the party colors would therefore be dependent on at least one vote from the opposition – i.e. from the Left or AfD – when making decisions.