The Berlin coalition negotiations between the CDU and SPD are entering the next phase. Starting today, the 13 working groups will meet to discuss specialist topics. As a rule, eight experts from both parties negotiate the details of topics ranging from justice to climate protection, work and social affairs to budget and finances.
This Wednesday, the so-called umbrella group - the core team of negotiators with top politicians from the CDU and SPD - wants to meet for the second time. The parties had started coalition negotiations last week and had already presented initial agreements on issues.
Voting will take place in April
The CDU and SPD are stepping up the pace: the coalition agreement should be available at the end of March or beginning of April. The CDU is then to be voted on at a party conference. The SPD has opted for a member vote - the result should be available and announced on April 23rd.
Before deciding on coalition negotiations with the CDU, the SPD had also spoken to the Greens and Left, with whom it has governed Berlin since 2016. In addition to the SPD, the CDU also spoke to the Greens.
Berlin's current governing mayor, Franziska Giffey, who is also SPD state chairwoman, conceded at the weekend that persuasion and communication work had to be done in her own ranks for an alliance with the CDU. The rejection of the Juso is particularly great: A motion by the state board entitled "NoGroKo - Berlin only works with the left" received the very large majority of the approximately 80 delegates at a Juso conference on Saturday. All speakers firmly rejected the CDU as a coalition partner.
Jusos look to the left
The SPD youth organization calls for the continuation of the coalition with the Greens and the Left. Should the Berlin SPD members decide in favor of the Jusos and reject a coalition with the CDU, Giffey sees her party in the opposition.
In the repeat election on February 12, the CDU was ahead with 28.2 percent, SPD and Greens both received 18.4 percent, with a lead of 53 votes for the SPD, the left came to 12.2 percent.
