The leader of the German Green Party, Felix Banaszak, has not ruled out a potential coalition with the SPD and the FDP after the federal elections on February 23. “Looking at Austria, parties of the democratic center must remain conversational and coalition-capable to prevent the far-right from making decisions through a majority or minority” Banaszak told the Handelsblatt in an interview.
However, Banaszak set conditions for such a coalition, citing the recent controversy surrounding the CDU’s migration policy, which was passed with the support of the far-right AfD. He called on CDU leader Friedrich Merz to withdraw the bill and return to the political center. “I ask Friedrich Merz to withdraw the bill and find his way back to the political center” Banaszak said, questioning who Merz could still convince that he and the conservatives would be stable in the future.
Former Green Party leader Omid Nouripour also remains open to a potential coalition with the SPD and the FDP. “We won’t engage in exclusionary tactics like Markus Söder” Nouripour told the Handelsblatt, warning that such an approach could lead to “Austrian-style” politics. However, Nouripour emphasized that any potential talks and coalition negotiations would need to focus on substance, not just exclusionary tactics. He also stressed the importance of preserving the EU’s internal market and not allowing national measures to undermine it in the regulation of migration.
Federal Environment Minister Steffi Lemke (Green Party) described the recent events as a “black day” for democracy. “Friedrich Merz’s maneuver harms Germany and Europe” Lemke said, expressing her shock at the CDU’s willingness to risk the parliamentary foundation of democracy and the principles of freedom and democracy by cooperating with the far-right.