One day after the repeat election in Berlin, it is unclear who will govern the capital in the future. The CDU sees a clear government mandate.
After the CDU’s victory in the repeat elections in Berlin, top politicians from the party underpinned the CDU’s claim to government in the capital. Presidium member Jens Spahn said before meetings of the CDU top committees on Monday: “The Berliners have chosen change. They are fed up with this red-red-green Senate.” The incumbent alliance is a losing coalition.
“Now it is somehow checked whether one is 100 votes ahead of the other,” said Spahn, referring to the SPD’s narrow lead over the Greens in the election. However, the CDU is 150,000 votes ahead of the SPD. Spahn warned that some could now pursue policies that would lead to a lot of annoyance and frustration.
The CDU federal chairman Friedrich Merz wrote on Twitter: “The clear government mandate for the CDU is the first step towards our goal of making the federal capital work better.” CDU treasurer Julia Klöckner also spoke of a clear government mandate. Now everyone would have slept on it for a night. “And as befits responsible democrats, we have to talk to each other.”
FDP fails at five percent hurdle
The CDU had become the strongest force in the repeat election with 28.2 percent (2021: 18.0 percent). SPD and Greens are both at 18.4 percent, but the SPD has a wafer-thin lead with 105 votes. The left slipped to 12.2 percent (14.1). The AfD increased to 9.1 (8.0). With 4.6 percent, the FDP flew out of another state parliament (7.1).
CDU top candidate Kai Wegner said: “For me, the goal is that we can get a stable government in Berlin. And coalitions of two are always more stable than coalitions of three.” He wants to “get a government that works together reliably on the problems of this city and where people sometimes treat each other to success.” It’s about finally tackling problems and not arguing on the open stage.
Wegner announces early soundings
Wegner spoke of a “phenomenal” success and said: “Our job is to form a stable government.” Berlin chose the change. He announced that he would invite the SPD and the Greens to explore. The aim is to hold talks this week or early next week, Wegner told the German Press Agency on Monday.
Wegner called the election result for the CDU a clear leap of faith, which he wanted to turn into a vote of confidence. “We conducted an intensive, tough election campaign. But the time of the election campaign is over now. It’s no longer about the election campaign, it’s about the future of this city.”
