“Worrying progress in the explorations” – Berlin CDU offers talks to the Greens and SPD

In the midst of efforts by the Left, the Greens and the SPD to form a government in Berlin, the CDU has made its own offer for talks. A party spokeswoman said the CDU state chairman Stefan Evers had invited the leadership of the Greens and SPD to joint discussions about the current situation.

This step was taken “in view of the worrying progress of the explorations and with a view to the need for decisions in the next few weeks”. And: “The invitation and the discussions themselves are confidential.”

The SPD and the Greens agreed. “Mr Evers invited us to a meeting and of course we talk to each other again and again,” said SPD state chairwoman Bettina König to the dpa news agency. “We are governing this state together right now and have enough to clarify, but this is not an exploratory exercise.”

The Greens also emphasized that it was not about a possible government formation with the CDU. “These are not exploratory talks, but rather a conversation about the constructive design of the transition period until the new government is formed,” said the regional association.

According to information from the “Tagesspiegel”, which first reported on the invitation, the conversation will take place on October 29th – the Left, as the election winner, did not invite Evers to it. According to dpa information, the issues are likely to include the question of a supplementary budget given the tense financial situation. On that day, the new Berlin House of Representatives also meets for its constituent meeting.

In the Berlin election on September 20th, the Left was the strongest force with 25.7 percent. They were followed by the CDU (18.8 percent), AfD (16.3 percent), the Greens (14.3 percent) and - with their historically worst result - the SPD (12.1 percent). The previously ruling CDU/SPD coalition has lost its majority.

After successful exploratory talks, attempts are now being made to form a red-green-red government. If this succeeds, Left Party leader Elif Eralp could become the first governing mayor of her party in Berlin. The Greens and SPD have already agreed to the start of coalition negotiations. The Left will decide on this at a party conference on October 31st.

If the coalition were to come into being, it would have a total of 91 seats, which would be 14 more than needed for an absolute majority. A coalition of the CDU, the Greens and the SPD would also be possible, although their combined number of mandates would be significantly smaller. Since there are many reservations in the ranks of the Greens and SPD about an alliance with the CDU, this option is considered unlikely.

CDU top candidate Evers, who is also the incumbent Senator for Finance and Culture, has been in a kind of holding position with his party since the election on September 20th. “The hand of the CDU remains outstretched for an alliance of responsibility and reason, the leadership of the Greens and SPD know that from all previous discussions,” he said now.

“Since the leaders of the Green Party declared from the beginning and then publicly that they would strive for a coalition with the Left under all circumstances and would not consider another alliance, an invitation to formal explorations has unfortunately not yet been considered,” said the Berlin CDU.

In recent weeks, the Left has been exposed to allegations about its handling of anti-Semitism and organized crime. A joint statement on the subject of anti-Semitism, which the three parties agreed on before the explorations began, should be included in the coalition agreement if a government is formed.