Merz prefers a fresh moniker for the potential revived "Groko" alliance, shying away from the traditional label
New coalition government not to be labeled as "Grand Coalition" by Merz
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Friedrich Merz, the CDU's chancellor candidate, wishes to skip the traditional "Groko" label for the proposed, smaller coalition with the SPD, a stark departure from past alliances.
"That old 'Groko' moniker just doesn't cut it anymore for this upcoming coalition," Merz shared with the "Bild" newspaper, referring to the label given to the previous coalition between the Union and SPD.
Over the years, the Union and SPD have joined forces in four grand coalitions. The first was in 1966 under Kurt Georg Kiesinger, followed by Chancellor Angela Merkel's three grand coalitions. However, the upcoming coalition might not reach the same size as its predecessors, with only a 45% combined second vote share. Nevertheless, the Union remains the stronger force.
Merz's suggested alternative names
When asked for an alternative name, Merz proposed "black-red working coalition" or "coalition of renewal and progress." Ultimately, he echoed, the perfect appellation is certain to be found. "The most important thing right now is the content," he noted.
As of today, various open questions still loom in the coalition negotiations between the Union and SPD, particularly in the realms of migration, taxes, and finance. By 5:00 PM, the seventeen expert working groups from both parties will submit their interim findings from the talks. Higher-level groups will subsequently tackle the more contentious issues in search of solutions.
Source
- Friedrich Merz
- CDU-SPD Coalition
- Coalition Negotiations
- Coalition Naming
- Open Questions
Background Insights
While Merz proposed the names "black-red working coalition" and "coalition of renewal and progress" as alternatives, the search results do not indicate any other specific names suggested for the CDU-SPD coalition. The term "grand coalition," traditionally used for past alliances between the CDU/CSU and SPD, may not fit this new alliance due to its smaller majority and significant shifts in the political landscape. [1][3] The emphasis during the negotiation process focuses on resolving policy differences rather than a particular name for the coalition, as of now. [4][5]
- Friedrich Merz prefers to name the proposed smaller CDU-SPD coalition as either the "black-red working coalition" or the "coalition of renewal and progress," avoiding the traditional "Groko" label.
- Merz has suggested these names as an alternative to the "grand coalition," which might not be suitable for the new alliance given its smaller majority and significant shifts in the political landscape.
- The emphasis during the coalition negotiations between the Union and SPD remains on resolving policy differences, such as migration, taxes, and finance, rather than finding a specific name for the alliance. [4][5]
