Exploratory talks: Greens and Union – continuation open

The Greens and the Union rate their first exploratory meeting as constructive and serious. The Union would like to continue. The Greens left this option open and want to consult internally first.

The Union and the Greens explored cooperation in a three-party coalition with the FDP at an initial preliminary talk. CDU boss Armin Laschet said after the two and a half hour meeting that there had been a good exchange between the two partners. “We believe that such an alliance has a breadth in society.”

In the deliberations of the exploratory teams, no insurmountable contradictions had become clear, Laschet added. “That would have to be deepened, it would be worthwhile.” The decision on a continuation now lies with the Greens and the FDP.

CSU boss Markus Söder also wants more talks with the Greens. The first “was shaped by the will to explore where there is a common basis, which bridges can be tread together, how far the paths may then be and how stable are the pillars on which this path is to be covered”. Many points have been “closely approximated”, including the important topic of climate. In other areas, however, there is still a lot of need for discussion – for example on the subject of migration.

Intersections and divisions explored

Green co-leader Annalena Baerbock emphasized that it had been a constructive and serious conversation with the Union. In socio-political areas, the Greens and the Union tend to be further apart, but in other areas there are common concerns, such as digitization and ecological transformation.

Green co-boss Robert Habeck called the meeting intense and focused. Possible intersections have been explored, but also divisions.

After the meeting, both party leaders left it open whether they wanted to continue talks with the Union on forming a government. The Greens and the FDP would now evaluate their exploratory rounds with the Union and SPD as a whole in their committees, said Habeck. “We will take our time for this today and tomorrow.”

Baerbock promised decisions on how to proceed for the next few days. She emphasized that it is important for the Greens that the formation of a new government “brings about a real departure for our country”.

End of a first exploratory round

The first round of separate exploratory talks ends with the meeting of the Union and the Greens just over a week after the federal election. First of all, the Greens and the FDP spoke to each other last week. On Sunday, the SPD leaders discussed successively with the FDP and the Greens in order to sound out the chances for a joint government alliance. On Sunday evening there was a meeting between the Union and the FDP.

The Greens are striving for a coalition with the SPD and FDP, but are not ruling out an alliance with the Union and FDP. The FDP shows its inclination towards the Union, but has not yet committed itself. A coalition of the Union, Greens and FDP is seen as the only chance for Union Chancellor candidate Laschet to save the Chancellery for the Union.