A good three weeks after the start of their coalition negotiations, the CDU and SPD have finally completed their planned government program in Berlin. After the substantive questions, both parties also reached an agreement on the allocation of departments on Sunday evening, as the German Press Agency learned from negotiating circles.
CDU General Secretary Stefan Evers tweeted a video sequence in which white smoke rose, as in the papal election. The SPD politician Kevin Hönicke tweeted: “Habemus coalition agreement”. On Monday, the election winners, the CDU and the SPD, will present their coalition agreement – the date has been fixed for a long time. So far, Berlin has been governed by a coalition of SPD, Greens and Left.
Over the weekend, the negotiators clarified the last open points. The main question was how the projects should be paid for. Finally, the allocation of departments was on the agenda. Details about which party takes over which department were not initially known.
It has long been clear that the CDU and SPD will each take over five senate administrations in the new state government, which is called the Senate in Berlin. CDU country leader Kai Wegner is to become governing mayor after his party’s victory in the repeat election on February 12. He would be the successor to SPD chairwoman Franziska Giffey, who is to receive a senator post in the new government.
After the presentation of the coalition agreement, however, there are still two hurdles to be overcome on the way to a black-red Senate. The SPD starts a member vote, the result of which will be announced on April 23rd. The CDU will decide on the government program at a party conference, which is expected to take place after the SPD results have been announced.
The election of Wegner in the House of Representatives as head of government and the swearing-in of the senators can therefore take place at the end of April at the earliest, i.e. in just under four weeks. The fact that the Black-Red project will still fail at the party base is considered unlikely.
The coalition negotiations between the CDU and SPD started on March 9th. Apparently they went largely without stumbling. The leaders of both parties repeatedly praised what they saw as a good and constructive atmosphere.
The priorities of the negotiated government program include more housing construction, a billion-euro program for more climate protection, administrative reform and better equipment for the police and fire brigade. It is also important for both parties to commit to a colourful, diverse city in which people of all walks of life feel at home and can develop.
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