The repeat election in Berlin apparently leads to political changes in the capital. Instead of red-green-red, a grand coalition could soon govern. Mayor Giffey explains why her SPD is considering an alliance with the election winner, the CDU.
Berlin’s Governing Mayor Franziska Giffey has defended her party’s surprising move towards a possible coalition with the CDU. The Greens “were getting signals that goals that were important to us were being put into perspective,” said the SPD politician on Deutschlandfunk. In addition, it was signaled “that there is a very real interest in entering into an alliance with the CDU”.
In the repeat election on February 12, the SPD ended up with 18.4 percent of the votes, well behind the election winner, the CDU (28.4 percent). On Wednesday evening, the SPD state executive announced that the party wants to conduct coalition negotiations with the CDU. According to party circles, the Christian Democrats also tend towards black and red. The CDU state board wants to decide on this Thursday. If these negotiations are successful, the Greens and Left Party, who are still co-governing, would be out of government.
According to Giffey, the SPD found that the intersections with the CDU were actually larger. But the decision was “very difficult”. “We really didn’t take it easy on ourselves,” Giffey said. “Entering an alliance in which we lose the Red City Hall is not an easy decision.” In view of the poor election result of the SPD, the question was also what a real new beginning could look like. “Where can we get as much SPD as possible.”
Giffey acknowledged that there was “a lot of skepticism” within the SPD about a coalition with the larger CDU. “You have to take that seriously.” For the SPD, the coalition negotiations will therefore also deal with topics such as a city of diversity, cosmopolitanism, anti-discrimination and equality, as well as employee rights, tenant protection and climate protection. The SPD will not make any compromises on some issues. In addition, the SPD members are asked, who should ultimately vote on the coalition.
