KAlmost two weeks after the state elections in North Rhine-Westphalia, the CDU and Greens have agreed on the key points for a possible government alliance. At the end of their four-day exploratory talks, delegations from both parties agreed on a very detailed twelve-page result paper on Friday evening. It bears the heading “For the future of North Rhine-Westphalia”.
On the basis of the key points, the top committees of the CDU and Greens are to decide on the official start of coalition negotiations on Sunday. So far, the CDU and the Greens have never governed together in the most populous federal state. In the exploratory paper, the CDU and the Greens commit themselves to a climate-neutral industrialized country. “We will make North Rhine-Westphalia the first climate-neutral industrial region in Europe.”
The parties want to launch an “immediate climate protection program and an early phase-out of coal by 2030. Specifically, the CDU and Greens want to build at least 1,000 additional wind turbines in the next five years and use all areas suitable for photovoltaics. The controversial minimum distance regulation between wind turbines and residential buildings is to be examined and changed “if necessary”. In the education sector, 10,000 additional teachers are to be hired in the coming years. With a binding step-by-step plan, the starting salary for all teachers is also to be raised to A13.
“The CDU takes its responsibility from the result of the state elections to form a stable government for our country,” said Prime Minister Hendrik Wüst. “In the reconciliation of supposed opposites lies the strength for our future.” Wüst thanked the Greens for “constructive, serious advice appropriate to the challenges.” He added: “This common spirit can lead to a future alliance for the benefit of our country.”
Greens state leader Mona Neubaur said: “We want to be the guarantor that a new state government works up to date.” CDU and Greens could have “together worked out a resilient basis”. “Both parties are united by the serious will to find generation-fair solutions for the challenges of the present and future in times of multiple crises.”
Around 100 delegates from the Greens are coming together in Essen on Sunday for a small party conference to vote on the start of coalition negotiations. In Düsseldorf, the similarly sized extended state executive committee of the CDU will decide on this.
The CDU clearly won the election on May 15 with 35.7 percent. With 26.7 percent, the SPD slipped to its worst result in a state election in North Rhine-Westphalia. The Greens were able to almost triple their share of the vote compared to 2017 to 18.2 percent and ended up in third place.
The CDU and the Greens met for the first time last Tuesday afternoon in Düsseldorf for exploratory talks. Scene of the balancing of both political ideas: the “Malkasten” in Düsseldorf’s Hofgarten. The artists’ association was founded in 1848 after the March Revolution and, according to its own philosophy, is a place of political and artistic coexistence of every shade. Before the talks, Neubaur said that the high level of approval for her party also entailed responsibility. You have to meet the current challenges.
Wüst had expressed himself metaphorically: “Probing means building a framework in which you can later paint a joint picture,” said the incumbent Prime Minister, referring to the place where the black-green meeting took place. Shortly after the election, about two weeks ago, it became clear that North Rhine-Westphalia was heading towards such an alliance for the first time in its history. However, both parties wanted to carefully introduce their members and voters to the new partnership, because the base of both actually wants other coalitions. While the Greens in North Rhine-Westphalia are considered more left-wing and therefore prefer an SPD partnership, the CDU and FDP are closer than the CDU and Greens.