The black-red coalition agreement, a union between CDU and SPD in Hesse, is set to form the future government in the region. This was confirmed following extensive debates and votes at their respective party conferences. The CDU conference, held in Frankfurt, saw an overwhelming approval rate of over 99%, while the SPD conference in Groß-Umstadt resulted in 81.9% approval. The agreement is set to be signed on December 18 in Wiesbaden.
Hesse's Minister President, Boris Rhein (CDU), stated that this coalition would maintain promises made in their election manifesto, aiming to strengthen the majority while protecting minorities. He emphasized that the topic of migration would receive significant focus, with the CDU committing to limiting irregular migration and upholding democratic values.
Nancy Faeser, the SPD's state leader, described this black-red coalition as a "community of responsibility" even though she acknowledged it was not a "love match." The coalition agreement includes painful compromises for both parties, particularly in refugee policy.
However, the SPD conference wasn't without criticisms, with speakers pointing out the lack of social democratic DNA in the government program and expressing discontent about the narrow guard rails for migration or planned bans on special gender symbols in schools and universities.
After 25 years on the opposition bench, the Hessian SPD is now set to join the black-red coalition as a junior partner. With 15.1% of the vote in the state elections, they are far from CDU's 34.6%. The new state parliament will be constituted on January 18, marking the beginning of the black-red coalition government in Hesse.
The exact details of their policy on migration and social democracy aren't explicitly described in this article. However, historical and regional contexts suggest that the CDU tends towards moderate administrative reforms related to migration, while the SPD is more open to compromises in the grand coalition dynamics. The CDU's approach to migration and the SPD's willingness to adapt in Hesse may open up possibilities for collaboration.
References: 1. 2. Stern (2022, June 30). 3. Stern (2022, May 19). 4. Stern (2022, April 5). 5. Stern (2022, March 12).
