- Title: German Green party up for traffic light coalition, but keeping all options open
- Date: 27th September 2021
- Summary: BERLIN, GERMANY (SEPTEMBER 27, 2021) (REUTERS) ***WARNING: CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** GREEN PARTY CO-LEADER ANNALENA BAERBOCK ARRIVING TO SPEAK TO MEDIA MEDIA (SOUNDBITE) (German) GREEN PARTY CO-LEADER, ANNALENA BAERBOCK, SAYING: "We made clear yesterday that the situation is different to ones in the past where there was one very strong party and a small junior party. Rather the two big parties have suffered heavy losses in recent years and there needs to be a new push that comes into the government, so it's good that all the parties are talking to each other and not waiting to just be invited in for talks... And now I am going in for talks," BAERBOCK LISTENING TO QUESTION (SOUNDBITE) (German) GREEN PARTY CO-LEADER, ANNALENA BAERBOCK, SAYING: "The CDU is also presumable in very intense talks and meetings and so I also need to be there, so last question please. We made clear that we want real change, we want real fresh wind and each party has to now make it's decision about what it wants to bring to the government table. And these will be the results that will present themselves in the coming days." BAERBOCK GOING IN
- Embargoed: 11th October 2021 15:33
- Keywords: CDU/CSU FDP German election Green party SPD coalition talks exploratory talks
- Location: BERLIN, GERMANY
- City: BERLIN, GERMANY
- Country: Germany
- Topics: Europe,Government/Politics,Elections/Voting
- Reuters ID: LVA001EWHVCXZ
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Germany's Green party on Monday (September 27) made clear that a so-called traffic light cabinet was certainly on the table as all parties grappled for influence in the next government.
Germany faces months of tough negotiations to form a coalition government after the federal election on Sunday, with three parties needing to team up to clear the threshold of 50% of all seats in the Bundestag after the vote.
After Olaf Scholz's centre-left Social Democrats came first, they said they would seek to form a coalition with the Greens and the FDP.
The SPD and the Greens, which ruled together from 1998 to 2005 under Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, broadly agree on environment policy and on raising taxes and social spending, though the Greens are far more hawkish on Russia policy.
But if the SPD is to reclaim the chancellery for the first time since 2005 they will also need to get the liberal Free Democrats on board to form a "traffic light" coalition, so-called due to the party colours of red, green and yellow.
FDP leader Christian Lindner has sounded cool on the possibility, saying legalising cannabis is about the only thing his party could easily agree with the SPD and Greens.
While the liberals are far to the right of the SPD and Greens on economics, they might compromise if it means they win control of the Finance Ministry.
The traffic light is the obvious option and also follows logically from the results of the election, because the SPD is ahead of the Union, said the co-leader of the Greens, Robert Habeck, on Monday in Berlin. However, all options would have to be explored, including talks with the Union.
Habeck is clearly strengthened within his party by the Bundestag election result - also in the internal relationship with the candidate for chancellor, Annalena Baerbock.
The Greens achieved a record result of 14.8 percent in Sunday's election however, as the third-strongest force in the country, they are a long way from the leadership of the government they were aiming for. In polls a few months ago, they were seen as almost twice as strong.
At press conferences, Habeck and Baerbock usually share the right to speak meticulously; as a candidate for chancellor, Baerbock has recently usually been in the foreground. On Monday it was just the opposite, Habeck was clearly in the focus at the federal press conference. In parts of the party, it is said that Habeck will probably get first access to a ministry and could also become vice chancellor.
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