Following in the footsteps of the SPD, the Greens in Berlin have also agreed to begin coalition negotiations for what is being called a Red-Green-Left alliance. A vote by the land committee on Monday evening saw 43 out of 45 delegates approving the start of discussions, with two voting against.
Greens candidate Werner Graf remarked that the “intensive weeks” are now behind all involved parties. He highlighted the numerous achievements the party sees in the preliminary document presented on Saturday, pointing to commitments such as expanding bicycle paths, investing in bus and train services, and examining the possibility of a packaging tax.
The Berlin SPD board had previously indicated its support for starting coalition talks with both the Left and the Greens. Meanwhile, the Left Party plans to vote at a party conference on October 31st regarding whether to formally invite the Greens and the SPD to the negotiations.
The three partners concluded their preliminary discussions over the weekend and put forth a shared preliminary document, which is intended to serve as the basis for the eventual coalition negotiations. Key agreements reached within this paper include the socialisation (public ownership) of housing companies with more than 10,000 apartments, the planned expansion of cycle paths, and the introduction of a more affordable social ticket for public transportation.
Should this three-party coalition materialize, it would command 91 seats in the Berlin House of Representatives, providing 14 seats overall beyond the absolute majority. An alternative possibility exists with a coalition involving the CDU, Greens, and SPD, although that partnership would only achieve two seats more than the absolute majority.
