On Wednesday evening it was that time again. In Munich’s Maximilianeum, reporters were able to witness the spectacle of two men whose art is to talk a lot and tell little. The two faction leaders took their places, Klaus Holetschek in front of the CSU screen, Florian Streibl in front of a screen in Free Voters orange. He felt “harmony,” said Streibl, and things were “progressing very well and very quickly.” Holetschek spoke of a “very good atmosphere”. What specific topics were discussed, where there was agreement and where there are still problems? Not a word. Once again.
The coalition negotiations between the CSU and the Free Voters (FW) have now been running for a week, the contract should be finalized next week, and on October 31st the state parliament is scheduled to re-elect Markus Söder as Prime Minister. The conversations began with insults and an ultimatum, if you like. FW boss Hubert Aiwanger called the CSU “girlish”, CSU boss Söder called the FW “adolescent” and called for their commitment to democracy.
Nobody wanted to say exactly what this commitment looked like in the first exploratory round. All we heard from participants was that it was “open” and “emotional”. Also because a CSU representative asked Aiwanger the “attitude question”. In a preamble to the coalition agreement, both parties want to commit themselves to defending democracy. The exact wording will be used to determine whether the CSU didn’t make a bit of a fuss in advance about its commitment.
Negotiations started straight away, in large groups and in thematic working groups. Since then there has been a lot of silence, and when put in a positive light, the silence suggests that the issues are manageable. Another indication of this is what the FW apparently already considers to be their own emphasis that they want to set: the existing no to the third runway at Munich Airport should be formulated a little more strongly, they say. But of course silence can mean even more.
Silence and emptiness are close together and the suspicion arises that it is not so much due to the confidentiality of the negotiating partners if so little is leaked out. But perhaps due to a certain lack of content that could characterize the new coalition agreement. One indication could be that the faction leaders emphasize that they do not want to “prescribe anything” and give “more freedom”. That doesn’t sound like far-reaching reforms. They had already made it clear during the election campaign that the CSU and FW did not want to impose too much on a country that was apparently tired of change. CSU parliamentary group leader Holetschek promises a “coalition of stability”. The opposition sees a “business as usual” coalition.
But there is still a suspicion. Namely that the great silence could be over as soon as next week it is no longer about content, but about the question of which party gets which position.
Aiwanger had already opened the dispute over positions during the election campaign with his interest in the Ministry of Agriculture. Söder waved his hand straight away. The abandonment of a department that creates such an identity for the party continues to be considered unimaginable. The day after the state election, the dispute continued when Aiwanger called for an additional ministry – and Söder immediately rejected it. The fact that everything is not suddenly harmonious was also shown by an appearance by Agriculture Minister Michaela Kaniber (CSU) on Wednesday, in which she suggested to FW boss Aiwanger that he should “read up on the subject of wind energy and not just babble something into the world”. In an interview with the SZ in September, she had already accused Aiwanger of “denying climate change.”
partners and competitors
Aiwanger himself has apparently taken a vow of silence, as has Söder. The fact that the two have so far avoided appearing together does not exactly indicate a longing for closeness among the top men. On Wednesday, the two broke their vows for just one sentence each. A reporter asked the FW boss why he didn’t say anything. “That’s fine,” Aiwanger replied and disappeared into the hearing room. Then came Söder, who limited himself to “Everything will be fine.”
Everyone knows that not everything can be good in the long run between the old and very likely new coalition partners. According to pollsters at Infratest Dimap, the CSU’s FW stole around 260,000 votes in the Bavarian election. With a view to the 2024 European election campaign, the CSU wants to prevent this from happening again – and seek more confrontation with the FW. It is unlikely that Aiwanger will avoid this confrontation. The CSU and FW remain partners and competitors.
The first test of strength will then be the question of posts – following what is presumably the last top round on content on Friday or Monday. If CSU boss Söder wants to prevent the next point victory for Aiwanger, he cannot afford to give the FW another ministry. At the same time, we hear from the CSU, their own base is expecting a smooth start with their desired partner.
So hardly any room for Söder? Especially since he has issued job guarantees to numerous CSU ministers. What other accents can he add? The CSU says you shouldn’t be mistaken. Söder will find a way. If the party leader is one thing, then it’s always good for a surprise.