Even after the presentation of the coalition agreement between the CDU and SPD, the Berlin Jusos are sticking to their clear rejection of a black-red alliance. “For us, the coalition agreement looks like a black corset with red ribbons,” said Sinem Taşan-Funke, state chairman of Juso, to the German press agency.
“In some places it is prevented that social-democratic politics of the last few years is reversed. In many places, however, it cuts the SPD’s breath off,” she said.
From Taşan-Funke’s point of view, the coalition agreement is backward-looking in some places. “Where the CDU comes through purely, we see a return to the 2000s: religious education, privatization of state tasks and police state.” She also criticized the planned expansion of surveillance measures. “We fear that this course will massively damage the future viability of the SPD and make it unelectable for broad sections of the population in a freedom-loving city like Berlin.
Criticism of the division of responsibilities
The lawyer and Juso boss is also critical of the allocation of departments. “Without the finance department, the SPD, as a smaller coalition partner, lacks a lot of leeway to implement the agreed projects,” said the state chairwoman. “We’re seeing at the federal level just how easy it is to block social-democratic projects by simply turning off the money supply.”
The Jusos are calling for SPD members to vote against the coalition agreement. The result is to be announced on April 23.
