The conservative block, comprising the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and the Christian Social Union (CSU) of Bavaria, which emerged victorious in the German general elections last Sunday, and the Social Democrats (SPD) have expressed optimism after their first meeting to form a government. This initial gathering, held on Friday, marked the beginning of formal negotiations, which are set to continue next week.
Constructive Conversations
“Exploratory conversations began in an open and constructive environment,” declared the general secretaries of the CDU, CSU, and Social Democratic Party (SPD), Carsten Linnemann, Martin Huber, and Matthias Miersch, respectively, in a brief statement. They added that Finance Minister Jörg Kukies provided an overview of the budgetary situation to those present, and the challenges discussed will be the subject of the next conversations, planned for next week.
The presence of Minister Kukies was somewhat of a surprise, as his name was not on the list of Social Democratic negotiators that had been reported in the media. However, he joined other key figures, including co-presidents Lars Klingbeil, who was chosen as the new head of the Parliamentary Group on Wednesday, and Saskia Esken. The conservative group was represented by, among others, the probable future chancellor and leader of the CDU, Friedrich Merz, and the president of the CSU and head of the government of Bavaria, Markus Söder.
Objectives and Challenges
This first meeting between the negotiating groups of conservatives and social democrats started around 11:00 (10:00 GMT) and aimed to establish a calendar for the coming weeks. According to the newspaper ‘Bild’, formal negotiations could officially begin as early as next Monday, with the goal of forming a coalition government by Holy Week, which falls in mid-April. However, the general secretaries did not confirm this timeline, stating only that preliminary conversations will continue next week.
The main point of contention in these negotiations is expected to be finance. The social democrats are pushing for a debt brake reform to allocate more funds not only to the armed forces but also to the country’s infrastructure, such as bridges, roads, and railways. The conservative block won the general elections with 28.6% of the votes, while the SPD achieved its worst result in history, securing only 16.4% of the support, which relegated the party to third place.
The ultra-rightist Alternative for Germany (AFD) was the second most voted force, with 20.8% of the ballots. However, the conservative bloc has ruled out any cooperation with the AFD, leaving a ‘grand coalition’ between conservatives and social democrats as the only viable option. As negotiations progress, finding common ground on financial reforms will be crucial for the success of these talks and the formation of a stable government.