New governing coalition in Hesse is sealed

State government - New governing coalition in Hesse is sealed

The new black-red government alliance in Hesse has been signed and sealed. Minister President and CDU state chairman Boris Rhein and SPD state leader and Federal Minister of the Interior Nancy Faeser signed the coalition agreement in Wiesbaden on Monday. It is a coalition for all Hessians, emphasized Rhein. Social Democrats and Christian Democrats are making a joint commitment. "We want to strengthen the majority and the social center, but of course we also want to protect minorities."

Faeser said that people were living "in very special times" in the face of numerous crises. That is why stability and social security are important. "And that is what this coalition agreement expresses", said the SPD state leader. "We are addressing the issues that people are interested in." These include good education and workers' rights.

The CDU and SPD had invited guests to the signing of the coalition agreement in the new building of the Reinhard Ernst Museum, which has not yet opened. "You couldn't have chosen a better location," said Faeser. It stands for something new, modern and transparent. "Everyone who comes in here senses that something new is taking place," said Rhein. This also speaks for the coalition.

Last weekend, the CDU and SPD adopted the government program for the years 2024 to 2029 at their respective party conferences. The 184-page agreement bears the motto "One for all". While the Christian Democrats voted in favor by more than 99%, the SPD vote was preceded by a controversial discussion. In the end, just under 82% of SPD delegates voted in favor of the paper. This is the first Christian-social coalition in Hesse under the leadership of the CDU.

In the state elections on October 8, the Social Democrats received 15.1 percent of the vote, while the CDU received 34.6 percent, more than twice as many. The parties had initially met for five weeks for exploratory talks and then spent around four weeks discussing the coalition agreement. The new state parliament in Wiesbaden will be constituted on January 18. In the past ten years or so, Hesse has been governed by a black-green coalition.

A new chapter is opening for Hesse's Social Democrats and Christian Democrats, said Rhein on Monday. "We want to create a new cohesion". According to the head of government, the priorities of the agreement include education, families, the rule of law, migration and integration as well as the economy, agriculture and healthcare.

In times of multiple crises, people have a right to expect parties to address their problems and present solutions, emphasized the Prime Minister. "This treaty provides a good basis for this."