The three potential allies are in favor of opening formal negotiations to integrate the first government of the “post-Merkel” era
The Social Democrat Olaf Scholz took another step in the direction of succeeding the conservative Angela Merkel in the German Chancellery, by achieving the pre-agreement of the Greens and Liberals to start negotiations and form a government alliance.
“The three parties agree on the need to promote the renewal of Germany and to face the industrial modernization that Germany needs,” said Scholz, in an appearance before the media together with the green leaders, Annalena Baerbock and Robert Habeck, as well as the liberal Christian Lindner, and the two co-chairs of the Social Democratic Party (SPD), Saskia Esken and Norbert Walter-Borjans.
The image of the complex was one of total cohesion, renewal and a constructive spirit, as highlighted by all of them in their successive interventions. Lindner was especially explicit, stating that the previous polling rounds, until this Friday, had shown a “constructive spirit” and “a new style”, respectful of confidentiality. With this, he wanted to mark the distances with respect to what happened in 2017, when his Liberal Party (FDP) suddenly left the negotiating table. With this, Merkel’s intention to lead an unprecedented coalition, at the federal level, between conservatives, liberals and greens collapsed.
Scholz’s SPD was the most voted force in the general elections on September 26, with 25.7%. The Conservatives, led by candidate Armin Laschet, sank to their record low in a national election, with 24.1%. The Greens, on the other hand, jumped to their best historical result, with 14.8%, while the Liberals remained at 11.5%.
The “semaphore” coalition – as an alliance between SPD, environmentalists and liberals, parties identified with the colors red, green and yellow is known in Germany – was thus the most viable constellation, although an equivalent tripartite was not ruled out, but led by Laschet’s conservatives.
Despite the fact that it is mathematically the most feasible formula and also the one preferred by German voters, according to opinion polls, it cannot be taken for granted that it ends up bearing fruit. The SPD leadership already gave its go-ahead at the beginning of talks hours after Scholz’s appearance. The Greens will have to do it in a reduced format congress this Sunday and the Liberals on Monday, although in an internal meeting.
The essential points of the pre-agreement range from the objective of building 400,000 homes annually – 100,000 of which are subsidized – to accelerating the farewell to coal by 2030. There is a clear commitment to an ecological energy transition, a commitment to raise the minimum interprofessional wage –which would go from 9.6 to 12 euros per hour – and also not to raise taxes or implement new rates. The latter was one of the great pre-election promises of the Liberals, whose leader, Lindner, aspires to become finance minister. On the other hand, there is no evidence of the implementation of a general speed limit on roads and highways, as the Greens and a good part of public opinion have been demanding.
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