Blackberry coalition

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The parties involved
SPD-Logo 2022 (rot).svg
SPD (red)
Bundnis Sahra Wagenknecht logo 2.svg
BSW (purple)
CDU Logo 2023.svg
CDU (black)
Namesake: Blackberries in different stages of ripeness Bjornbar pa buskar (2222).jpg
Namesake: Blackberries in different stages of ripeness

In German politics, a Blackberry coalition ( German : Brombeerkoalition) also called a black-purple-red coalition or red-purple-black coalition is a governing coalition between the Christian Democratic Union of Germany (CDU, party colour black), Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD, party colour red) and the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW, party colour purple). Such arrangements were first discussed due to the mathematical possibility of such a new government coalition emerging before the state elections in Saxony and Thuringia in 2024.

Contents

While coalition negotiations in Saxony failed, the Voigt cabinet, Germany's first blackberry coalition, has been governing Thuringia since December 2024 .

Background

The term was first used in August 2024 by political scientist Karl-Rudolf Korte in a guest article in the newspaper Die Zeit. [1] It was picked up by numerous media outlets. [2] [3] [4] At the latest since the state elections in Saxony and Thuringia on 1 September 2024, it has been established as a term for a possible government coalition of the CDU, BSW and SPD. The colours of the parties (red, purple, black) refer to the blackberry in its different stages of ripeness. [5]

State level

Discussions through the state election in Thuringia (2024)

Already in the run-up to the state elections in Thuringia and Saxony in 2024, a possible alliance between the CDU, SPD and BSW was discussed on the basis of the surveys. CDU chairman Friedrich Merz initially rejected such an alliance, [6] but only wanted to refer to the federal government. [7] He wanted to give the CDU state leaders a free hand for possible cooperation. In the aftermath of the election, parts of the CDU called for an incompatibility resolution with the BSW, which would make such a coalition impossible. [8] [9] Another obstacle to black-purple-red cooperation is that the BSW wants to be involved in negotiations on arms deliveries to Ukraine and the stationing of American medium-range missiles in Germany in order to achieve a commitment against it from a CDU-BSW-SPD state government. [2]

Presentation of CDU, BSW and SPD for the joint coalition agreement (Thuringia) on 22 November 2024. 2024-11-22 Politik, Vorstellung Regierungsvertrag (Koalitionsvertrag) Thuringen zwischen CDU, BSW und SPD STP 1340.jpg
Presentation of CDU, BSW and SPD for the joint coalition agreement (Thuringia) on 22 November 2024.

In Thuringia, discussions about a black-purple-red collaboration began when it became apparent that the Alliance 90/The Greens and Free Democratic Party (FDP) would not enter the Landtag of Thuringia. [2] The 2024 Thuringian state election resulted in a draw for the alliance in the distribution of seats (44:44), so that although it missed out on an overall majority by one seat, meaning it could not be outvoted by the opposition. In view of the lack of alternatives (incompatibility resolutions of the CDU with the Alternative for Germany (AfD) and the Left), the parties concerned entered into preliminary negotiations called "option talks" for a possible blackberry coalition. [10] [4] In addition, CDU top candidate Mario Voigt held talks with BSW chairwoman Sahra Wagenknecht in Berlin. [11] This was followed by the start of exploratory talks, [12] coalition negotiations from the end of October 2024. [13] The coalition agreement entitled "Courage to take responsibility. Thuringia forward." was finally presented on 22 November 2024. [14] It is considered likely that Die Linke will tolerate such a government without its own majority, for example by abstaining, since no additional votes are needed. [2] [3] This point also distinguishes the constellation from the previous minority government in Thuringia under the left-wing leader Bodo Ramelow (see second Ramelow cabinet. With the election of Mario Voigt as Minister-President of Thuringia on 12 December 2024, the Voigt cabinet began its work as a blackberry coalition in Thuringia. [15]

Discussions through the state election in Saxony (2024)

In the 2024 Saxony state election, which took place at the same time as the election in Thuringia, the possibility of blackberry coalition emerged as the parties achieved a majority in the newly elected state parliament. [16] Minister-President of Saxony Michael Kretschmer (CDU) brought this type of cooperation into discussion immediately after the election. [17] Representatives of the parties subsequently met for negotiations called “introductory talks”. [18] Kretschmer also travelled to Berlin to hold talks with Sahra Wagenknecht and to explore the possibility of a black-purple-red coalition. [19] Exploratory talks began at the end of October 2024, [20] which were temporarily suspended a few days later by the SPD because the BSW in the state parliament had voted together with the AfD for a Corona investigation committee. [21] At the beginning of November 2024, the BSW declared the exploratory talks a failure because they could not agree “on the peace formula, migration policy and the issue of finances”. [22]

Discussion through the state election in Brandenburg 2024

Before the 2024 Brandenburg state election, there had been speculation about a possible blackberry coalition in addition to a possible majority for a continuation of the previous black-red-green coalition. The withdrawal of the Greens, the Left and BVB/Free Voters from the Landtag of Brandenburg also resulted in this red-purple-black majority, but the CDU rejected talks for such an alliance, as the SPD and BSW alone already had a majority (red–purple coalition) and the inclusion of the CDU would have led to the formation of an oversized coalition  [ de ]. [23] [24]

See also

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References

  1. ↑ Tobias Winzer (2024-09-03). ""Brombeer"-Koalition: Was der Begriff bedeutet und wer ihn erfunden hat". Sächsische.de . Retrieved 2024-09-13.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Andreas Kehrer (2024-09-05). "Nach der Wahl: Bekommt Thüringen eine links tolerierte Brombeer-Koalition?". mdr.de (in German). Retrieved 2024-09-13.
  3. 1 2 Justus Bender (2024-09-07). "Landtagswahl: Wechselt jemand von der Linken zur "Brombeer"-Koalition?". Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (in German). Retrieved 2024-09-14.
  4. 1 2 Markus Wehner (2024-09-18). "Thüringen: Wie Mario Voigt mit der Brombeer-Koalition regieren will". Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (in German). Retrieved 2024-09-19.
  5. ↑ "CDU, BSW und SPD in Thüringen einig über Koalitionsvertrag". tagesschau.de (in German). Retrieved 2024-11-20.
  6. ↑ "CDU-Chef Merz geht auf klare Distanz zum BSW". Tagesschau (in German). Retrieved 2024-09-19.
  7. ↑ "Merz schließt Zusammenarbeit mit BSW auf Länderebene nicht aus". Tagesschau (in German). 2024-06-14. Retrieved 2024-09-19.
  8. ↑ Dominik Rzepka, Axel Zimmermann (2024-09-04). "Was, wenn CDU und BSW doch nicht koalieren?". ZDF heute (in German). Retrieved 2024-09-19.
  9. ↑ "CDU-Mitglieder sprechen sich gegen Koalition mit BSW aus". ZDF heute (in German). 2024-09-04. Retrieved 2024-09-19.
  10. ↑ Daniela Sonntag (2024-09-19). "Thüringen: Stille Gespräche über Koalition aus CDU, SPD, BSW". ZDF heute (in German). Retrieved 2024-09-19.
  11. ↑ Peter Sieben (2024-09-19). "Harte Koalitionsverhandlungen in Thüringen: "Autoritär geführtes" BSW und "klare Drohung" von AfD". Frankfurter Rundschau (in German). Retrieved 2024-09-19.
  12. ↑ "Thüringen: Erste Sondierungsrunde von CDU, BSW und SPD". zdf.de (in German). 2024-10-01. Retrieved 2024-10-01.
  13. ↑ "Gespräche zur Regierungsbildung in Thüringen mit erstem Treffen gestartet". mdr.de (in German). Retrieved 2024-11-02.
  14. ↑ "Worauf sich die Brombeer-Koalition in Thüringen geeinigt hat". MDR Thüringen (in German). 2024-11-22. Retrieved 2024-11-22.
  15. ↑ "Mario Voigt zum Thüringer Ministerpräsidenten gewählt". Spiegel Online . 2024-12-12. Retrieved 2024-12-12.
  16. ↑ "Kommt es in Sachsen zur Brombeer-Koalition?". n-tv (in German). Retrieved 2024-09-14.
  17. ↑ "Landeswahlleiter in Sachsen will Ergebnis überprüfen: Landtagswahlen in Thüringen und Sachsen im Liveticker". FAZ. 2024-09-02. Retrieved 2024-09-02.
  18. ↑ Kai Kollenberg (2024-09-13). "Brombeer-Koalition in Sachsen: Wie das BSW Koalitionsgespräche vorbereitet". Leipziger Volkszeitung (in German). Retrieved 2024-09-14.
  19. ↑ "Sachsen: Kretschmers Annäherung an Wagenknecht". Tagesschau (in German). 2024-09-09. Retrieved 2024-09-14.
  20. ↑ "Sondierungsgespräche für "Brombeer-Koalition" in Sachsen". tagesschau (in German). 2024-10-22. Retrieved 2024-10-26.
  21. ↑ Kai Kollenberg, Gunnar Saft, Karin Schlottmann (2024-10-26). "Brombeer-Koalition in Sachsen: SPD zweifelt an Bündnis mit BSW und CDU". Leipziger Volkszeitung (in German). Retrieved 2024-10-26.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  22. ↑ "Sondierung zwischen CDU, BSW und SPD in Sachsen gescheitert". Tagesschau (in German). Tagesschau. 2024-11-06. Retrieved 2024-11-06.
  23. ↑ Johannes Lenz (2024-09-24). "CDU blockt ab: Keine "Brombeer-Koalition" in Brandenburg?". nordbayern.de (in German). Retrieved 2024-09-29.
  24. ↑ "CDU will nicht mehr mit SPD sondieren - Wagenknecht stellt Bedingungen". rbb24.de (in German). 2024-09-26. Retrieved 2024-09-29.
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