Former Federal Minister of the Chancellor, Wolfgang Schmidt (SPD), argues that recurring conflicts within government coalitions stem from structural causes, noting that “we rather have a systemic problem”. Speaking on “Politico’s” “Berlin Playbook” podcast (Tuesday edition), Schmidt suggests that the composition of coalitions makes stable cooperation difficult. He posits that parties often end up in alliances that are fundamentally incompatible, a situation he attributes to the limited number of genuinely viable coalition options. Specifically, Schmidt pointed to the AfD and Linke parties, which he noted are generally excluded from forming coalitions due to programmatic reasons. Consequently, disagreement is almost unavoidable. He advises that the focus must shift to making the best of the coalition and actively working together to find the correct solutions. According to Schmidt, greater patience and resilience in handling conflicts are necessary, stating that “this is part of the process”.
SPD Veteran Points to Deep Systemic Flaws in Coalition Politics
