Germany's kingmakers pause to reflect on forming new coalition
Published: 03:10 PM,Oct 05,2021 | EDITED : 07:10 PM,Oct 05,2021
Co-leader of Germany's Greens and the party's candidate for chancellor Annalena Baerbock, Secretary General of Germany's conservative CDU party Paul Ziemiak, co-leader of Germany's The Greens party Robert Habeck and leader of Germany's CDU/CSU party union candidate for chancellor Armin Laschet, leave after exploratory talks with members of Germany's Greens in Berlin. - AFP
BERLIN: Germany's would-be kingmakers will take the next two days to consider how they will proceed with negotiations to form a new coalition to govern Europe's largest economy, the Green party's co-leader Robert Habeck said on Tuesday.
Speaking after talks with the conservatives, Habeck said the Greens and the Free Democrats, who are being courted as joint junior partners by the first-placed Social Democrats and the second-placed conservatives, would now reflect on what they had learned.
'The FDP and we will certainly now evaluate the talks as a whole ... we will take time for that today and tomorrow,' Habeck told reporters, referring to both 'kingmaker' parties' talks with their larger suitors.
Meanwhile, the leaders of outgoing Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservative alliance and the Greens met in Berlin on Tuesday to sound out the chances for forming a coalition to govern Germany for the next four years.
The talks, held under conditions of an information blackout, were the last in the first round of exploratory manoeuvring between the four largest parties following the September 26 elections.
Merkel's Christian Democrats (CDU), now led by Armin Laschet, along with their Bavarian allies, the Christian Social Union (CSU), are seeking to cobble together a three-way government with the Greens and the pro-business Free Democratic Party (FDP).
The Social Democrats (SPD) who narrowly emerged as the largest party with just 25.7 per cent of the vote ahead of the CDU/CSU on 24.1 per cent, are also seeking to build a coalition with the Greens and FDP.
The two smaller parties, the Greens on 14.8 per cent and the FDP on11.5 per cent, were the first to meet last week to sound out common positions.
While the Greens would prefer a deal with the SPD and FDP, they have not ruled out going into government with the CDU/CSU. The FDP has made clear its preference for the CDU/CSU but has also not shut the door on the SPD.
FDP deputy leader Johannes Vogel expressed criticism of the CDU/CSU in a tweet on Monday in which he accused the bloc of breaching the blackout agreement.
Nothing had emerged from two of three rounds of talks with the FDP last week, he said, while a leak from the third had appeared in the media. 'That's been noticed... and it's irritating,' he said,directing his remarks at the conservative bloc. - Agencies
Speaking after talks with the conservatives, Habeck said the Greens and the Free Democrats, who are being courted as joint junior partners by the first-placed Social Democrats and the second-placed conservatives, would now reflect on what they had learned.
'The FDP and we will certainly now evaluate the talks as a whole ... we will take time for that today and tomorrow,' Habeck told reporters, referring to both 'kingmaker' parties' talks with their larger suitors.
Meanwhile, the leaders of outgoing Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservative alliance and the Greens met in Berlin on Tuesday to sound out the chances for forming a coalition to govern Germany for the next four years.
The talks, held under conditions of an information blackout, were the last in the first round of exploratory manoeuvring between the four largest parties following the September 26 elections.
Merkel's Christian Democrats (CDU), now led by Armin Laschet, along with their Bavarian allies, the Christian Social Union (CSU), are seeking to cobble together a three-way government with the Greens and the pro-business Free Democratic Party (FDP).
The Social Democrats (SPD) who narrowly emerged as the largest party with just 25.7 per cent of the vote ahead of the CDU/CSU on 24.1 per cent, are also seeking to build a coalition with the Greens and FDP.
The two smaller parties, the Greens on 14.8 per cent and the FDP on11.5 per cent, were the first to meet last week to sound out common positions.
While the Greens would prefer a deal with the SPD and FDP, they have not ruled out going into government with the CDU/CSU. The FDP has made clear its preference for the CDU/CSU but has also not shut the door on the SPD.
FDP deputy leader Johannes Vogel expressed criticism of the CDU/CSU in a tweet on Monday in which he accused the bloc of breaching the blackout agreement.
Nothing had emerged from two of three rounds of talks with the FDP last week, he said, while a leak from the third had appeared in the media. 'That's been noticed... and it's irritating,' he said,directing his remarks at the conservative bloc. - Agencies