Government formation: SPD says yes to the coalition – Klingbeil should become vice chancellor

The SPD has cleared its way for a black and red coalition with a large majority of the members and wants to move into the new government with party leader Lars Klingbeil. The 47-year-old is to become Vice Chancellor and head of the important finance ministry. This increases the previous framework for the most powerful man alongside Chancellor Friedrich Merz from the CDU in the new government alliance.

The party presidium also commissioned Klingbeil to name the six other ministers of the SPD on Monday. The political fate of co-chair Saskia Esken remains open.

CSU and CDU have already agreed to the coalition agreement, so the paper can now be signed by all three partners the next Monday, one day before the desired chancellor election in the Bundestag.

The vote of the SPD members was clearer than with previous decisions about black and red coalitions. 84.6 percent voted for the 144 -page contract, which was negotiated with the CDU and CSU. In 2013 and 2018 it was only 76 and 66 percent. This time the participation was lower with 56 percent of the 358,000 SPD members.

SPD general secretary Matthias Miersch was relieved: “This gives the SPD a large backing of the base for entering the federal government,” he said. The SPD will also not simply put aside the more than 30,000 no votes. “Yes, there is skepticism,” admitted Miersch. Now by good government action, it must be proven that this is unnecessary.

Juso leadership was against coalition agreement

The only alternatives to black and red would have been a coalition between the Union and AfD, a minority government or new elections. In the SPD there was above all criticism of the tightening of migration and social policy created in the coalition agreement. The contract was therefore rejected the guidance of the Jusos and requested renegotiations.

Now Juso boss Philipp Türmer explained to the editorial network Germany that the result would be accepted. However, the task is now to reorganize the party programmatically. “We have to become a party of work again,” he emphasized. In a black and red coalition, the SPD must put “the social forward”.

Klingbeil grabbed the power early

Klingbeil’s approach since the historical defeat of the SPD in the Bundestag election with the worst result in 138 years has almost Machiavellist features: In the evening of the election debacle, he reached at the party headquarters, the Willy-Brandt-Haus in Berlin, after the parliamentary group leader. A strategically borne, but not necessarily considerate decision, which ensured that he became the main contact for the future Chancellor Merz.

The Lower Saxony led the Social Democrats to the coalition negotiations with the CDU and CSU. Alone-without co-party leader Saskia Esken-he had some decisive conversations, for example with CSU politician Alexander Dobrindt when the coalition negotiations were on the brink.

Vice -Chancellor with an international coat of paint

As a vice -chancellor, Klingbeil is now the second strong man in the government next to Merz and will make sure that he not only meets the head of government at eye level after height – Klingbeil is 1.95 meters tall, Merz 1.98 meters.

From the vice post, he is likely to try to position himself for a candidacy for chancellor in 2029. Because as finance minister, Klingbeil will not only lead the most powerful department and have a veto right with almost all government projects. He will also be present on an international parquet, in the peaks of the heads of state and government in the G20 and G7 format.

Vice Chancellor and Finance Minister: In 2021, Olaf Scholz recently demonstrated that this can be a good starting position for a candidacy for chancellor. With the difference that Klingbeil should also remain SPD boss-and thus has an even wider base of power in the party.

As Vice Chancellor, Klingbeil now has the order to select the other six ministers. Only when asked, General Secretary Miersch said that the party leader would do so in consultation with Esken, himself and the President of the Minister for Minister for Minister for Minister for the Minister of Minister for the Per.

The SPD wants to present its government team next Monday – and may also comment on the parliamentary group chair and the future party leadership.

Above all, it is eagerly awaited what will be eaten. Can she move into the cabinet next to Klingbeil and take over the Ministry of Development, for example? Does she start again for the party chair at the party conference in June?

In any case, many in the SPD base arise that Esken could go away empty-handed while Klingbeil reaches for power so cold-when both are responsible for the election defeat together and together with Scholz. SPD women in particular are therefore also calling for an outstanding position for ESKEN.

Defense Minister Pistorius is considered a set

According to Miersch, the SPD government team should not only play a role in the SPD government team. The promise should also be made that new faces move into the cabinet. Nevertheless, it is certain that the 65-year-old Boris Pistorius remains Minister of Defense.

The former Bundestag president Bärbel BAS is traded for the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs equipped with a lot of money. The SPD also takes over the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Environment and Climate Protection, the Ministry of Development and the Ministry of Construction.

In order for the government to take up its work exactly half a year after the breakdown of the traffic light coalition, a very last hurdle has to be overcome: Merz has to be chosen as Chancellor with the votes from Union.

In the secret vote, the so -called chancellor majority of 316 of the 630 MPs is necessary. Schwarz-Rot places 328. Even if there is only one cushion of twelve votes, a majority in the first ballot is considered very likely.