Parties before explorations: SPD determined, unrest in the Union

SPD chancellor candidate Scholz has clearly spoken out in favor of a coalition with the Greens and the FDP – they have announced that they will meet for preliminary auditions. Criticism of Laschet is growing louder in the Union, but he continues to campaign for a government he leads.

SPD chancellor candidate Olaf Scholz sees the result of the federal election as a clear government mandate for a traffic light coalition made up of the SPD, FDP and the Greens. The voters spoke very clearly, said Scholz. Three parties – SPD, Greens and FDP – had gained votes. These three would form the next government. “You can see a very happy SPD here,” said Scholz during a joint appearance with Manuela Schwesig and Franziska Giffey, the election winners in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Berlin.

The SPD has already set up a team of six for the explorations: Scholz, the party leaders Saskia Esken and Norbert Walter-Borjans, Secretary General Lars Klingbeil, the Rhineland-Palatinate Prime Minister Malu Dreyer and parliamentary group leader Rolf Mützenich.

Laschet offers FDP and Greens talks

But Union Chancellor candidate Armin Laschet also affirmed, despite his election failure, that the CDU and CSU are ready for talks on a “Jamaica” coalition with the FDP and the Greens. However, there are several voices from within the Union calling for the Union to recognize its defeat.

For example, Saxony’s Prime Minister Michael Kretschmer criticized the Union’s mistakes in terms of content and personnel in the election campaign and called for a moment to “pause”. The CDU politician said in Berlin that the Union had to come to terms with the severe defeat and find an answer for East Germany. CSU boss Markus Söder ruled out government participation “at all costs”. CDU General Secretary Paul Ziemiak announced a “clear and ruthless analysis”.

First demands for resignation

The CDU state parliament member Ellen Demuth from Rhineland-Palatinate wrote on Twitter: “Armin Laschet, you have lost. Please understand. Avoid further damage to the CDU and step back.” Former Hessian Justice Minister Christean Wagner called on Laschet to take responsibility for the unprecedented debacle in the federal election. “We need a fresh start, both in terms of personnel and content,” said the co-founder of the conservative Berlin circle in the Union of the “Heilbronner Voice”. The Junge Union in Saxony also called for Laschet’s resignation.

Laschet himself also admitted personal errors in the committees according to the participants. “We will analyze this result and work on it, not only in the committees, but with the participation of the district associations and the grassroots – regardless of a possible formation of a government,” emphasized Laschet afterwards in the federal executive committee. He knows that he has a personal share in the defeat.

Merz supports Laschet’s course

Laschet receives support for his course from Friedrich Merz, for example. The Union has a responsibility that goes beyond its own party politics, says the ex-Union faction leader in the ARD. In this respect, he supports “that we are now trying to form a government in Germany with Armin Laschet and Markus Söder”. The gap between the SPD and the Union of 1.6 percent is too small to clearly name a winner and loser.

Habeck wants to speak to the SPD and the Union

Meanwhile, Greens boss Robert Habeck said that a “traffic light” was the “most obvious option” for him. First the exploratory team of the Greens is to be put together, the occupation is to be announced in the next few days. Then not only with the FDP, but also with the Union and the SPD. “We assume that there will be talks in the next few days with all parties that are potentially able to form a government in existing constellations,” said Habeck.

FDP for “preliminary explorations” with the Greens

The FDP is also ready for talks with the Greens. Without deciding on one of the two three-party coalitions, the FDP federal executive decided “preliminary assessments” with the Greens on possible government cooperation. There are “the greatest differences in content” between the two parties, said FDP leader Christian Lindner. So it makes sense that they talk to each other first.

The left announced a realignment after the election debacle. It had achieved 4.9 percent and is only due to the basic mandate clause in parliamentary groups. She understands this “severe defeat” as a “last chance” to develop the party forwards, said left leader Susanne Hennig-Wellsow. Top candidate Janine Wissler made a similar statement, assuring that the party must be reorganized. Both want to continue to lead the party.

Dispute in the AfD

In the AfD, however, conflicts between the various camps have emerged again. While the top duo Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla were overall satisfied with the result, co-party leader Jörg Meuthen sharply criticized his party’s performance. The result should not be glossed over in the “old party manner”, said Meuthen at a joint appearance with Chrupalla and Weidel. Weidel replied that she would “not let anyone talk badly about the election result”. The AfD has established itself.