Formation of government: SPD and BSW in Brandenburg approve first red-purple coalition

The first nationwide coalition between the SPD and BSW is a done deal in Brandenburg. After the BSW’s unanimous vote, the SPD also decided almost unanimously at a state party conference in favor of the joint coalition agreement, with one abstention. There is still one hurdle: the election and swearing in of Prime Minister Dietmar Woidke is planned for next Wednesday (December 11th).

“They were difficult negotiations, they were tough negotiations,” said SPD state leader Woidke at the state party conference. He cited the Ukraine war issue as an example. The SPD put differences aside. “We also managed to overcome these difficult situations together,” said Woidke. After the state elections there is only one option without the AfD – and that is the coalition with the BSW. At the SPD, 108 delegates voted for the coalition agreement, none against it, and one abstained.

There is also criticism from the SPD

Not all comrades were satisfied. The chairman of the Poland working group, Wolfram Meyer zu Uptrup, warned of insecurity among Poland’s neighbors and of Russian imperialism: “If peace actually means subjugation, then it is not peace.” Juso regional leader Leonel Richy Andicene criticized the strengthening of border controls, but praised the labor and youth policy. Juso board member Maximilian Henningsen rejects the payment card: “The payment card expresses mistrust towards people who have to flee war and expulsion.”

State leader Crumbach: “The BSW is needed”

The young alliance Sahra Wagenknecht (BSW) previously sent a clear signal: all 32 members present voted for the coalition agreement. The BSW in Brandenburg says it has 50 members. “This is an overwhelming leap of faith that you are giving us. We will deliver,” shouted BSW state chairman Robert Crumbach. The population should not be left out in the cold. He admitted: “There were very, very difficult situations in these exploratory negotiations where I thought: Okay, this won’t work.”

From the perspective of federal chairwoman Sahra Wagenknecht, the BSW has set an important course for a different policy in the coalition agreement with the SPD. It is important that the BSW has established that the Ukraine war must be ended through diplomatic means, she said at the party conference. “We have changed the debate about war and peace (…) in this country.”

Cabinet list is ready

The future cabinet has been determined. SPD parliamentary group leader Daniel Keller will become economics minister, and the previous finance minister Katrin Lange will head the interior department in the future, as Woidke announced. The current State Chancellery State Secretary Benjamin Grimm (all SPD) is to become Minister of Justice.

The CEO of the agricultural marketing association Pro Agro, Hanka Mittelstädt, is slated to serve as Agriculture Minister. Steffen Freiberg should continue to lead the education department and Manja Schüle the science ministry, Kathrin Schneider (all SPD) will remain head of the state chancellery.

For the BSW, state and parliamentary group leader Crumbach will be finance minister, Templin mayor Detlef Tabbert will be transport minister and ex-SPD state parliament member Britta Müller will take over the health department.

Coalition facing a test

Both parties want to preserve the hospital locations, leave kindergartens free of charge for parents, increase the number of police officers and curb illegal migration. At the federal government and the EU they want to work to promote a diplomatic solution to the Ukraine conflict with the aim of a ceasefire and lasting peace.

The coalition will have to prove again next Wednesday that it is united. Last Tuesday she passed her test and showed great unity in a special session. The BSW state parliament member Sven Hornauf had previously threatened not to vote for Woidke in the election of Prime Minister because of criticism of the deployment of the Arrow 3 missile defense system at the Holzdorf air base.

The SPD and BSW have 46 votes (32 and 14) in the new state parliament. The AfD has 30 MPs, the CDU 12.

BSW in the state parliament in three countries

The BSW came into three state parliaments in the state elections in September. In Thuringia, the SPD, CDU and BSW are aiming for a coalition. In Saxony, exploratory talks with the BSW failed. A minority government consisting of the CDU and SPD is to be forged there.