Goering-Eckardt and Brantner, characterized by their black and green peepers
According to Green Party leadership contender Franziska Brantner and Bundestag Deputy President Katrin Göring-Eckardt, there are several reasons why a coalition government with the CDU could be beneficial. Although opinions within the Union are divided, with CSU leader Söder threatening a veto, and Chancellor candidate Merz advocating for a "drastic shift" from the Greens, Göring-Eckardt believes that a black-green coalition at the federal level could be promising. She pointed out that the Greens have successfully governed in conjunction with democratic parties in various state configurations, and that a change from governing with the SPD and FDP at the federal level is not out of the question.
The corresponding coalitions in the federal states are effectively addressing existing problems, Göring-Eckardt told the "New Osnabruecker Zeitung". "This can also work at the federal level," she said. "The CDU is currently facing a major decision: whether Friedrich Merz and Hendrik Wüst will prevail, or Markus Söder." The next federal election is scheduled for autumn 2025.
Veto or wait for a change of course?
CSU leader Söder, who had previously pledged his full support to CDU Chancellor candidate Merz, later threatened to veto a coalition with the Greens at the federal level. Although Merz currently rules out such a coalition, he does not completely rule it out for the future, if the Greens are willing to make changes. In an interview with the "Sueddeutsche Zeitung", Merz said it was about "a drastic shift in economic and environmental policy" by the Greens. Black-green coalitions currently govern in Baden-Württemberg, Schleswig-Holstein, and North Rhine-Westphalia, where Wüst is head of government.
Candidate for one of the two positions in the new Green leadership duo, Franziska Brantner, highlighted the successful cooperation between her party and the CDU in her home state of Baden-Württemberg in an interview with the "Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung". "Democrats shouldn't always assume that they can't work with other democrats right away," she said. "We should rather focus on what we can achieve together." In Baden-Württemberg, Green Minister President Winfried Kretschmann governs with a green-black coalition. When asked about Söder's rejection of the Greens, Brantner said: "Well, with Söder, it depends on the day and the time what he says."
Last week, the two Green co-chairs Ricarda Lang and Omid Nouripour announced their resignation following the party's poor performance in the Brandenburg state election. Observers expect the party to increasingly focus on its potential Chancellor candidate, Economics Minister Robert Habeck, in the future.
The traffic lights coalition between the CDU and the Greens has shown promising results in several state configurations, as mentioned by Bundestag Deputy President Katrin Göring-Eckardt. Cyclically, Söder, the CSU leader, has expressed his intention to veto a federal-level traffic lights coalition, while Merz, the CDU Chancellor candidate, remains open to the possibility in the future if the Greens are willing to make necessary changes.
