The joy broke out at the headquarters of the Cristianodemocrata Union (CDU) seconds after knowing those who gave the victory to its leader, Friedrich Merz. “Chancellor, Chancellor!” They received those present with joy. However, the victory of the conservatives was a bit bittersweet. Many expected a better result, above 30%, as they predicted the
Everyone was also aware of the screens, especially the result of the liberals (FDP) and the Sahra Wagenknecht (BSW) alliance, which are in the dangerous area of 5% necessary to enter the German Parliament and that surely until the last moment you cannot know with certainty whether they enter or not. In the corrillos at the headquarters of Berlin there was no talk of anything else: if one of the two enters they will be forced to negotiate with social democrats and green to form a tripartite, something that, within the conservative party, nobody wants.
The own. “I am aware of responsibility. I am also aware of the magnitude of the task we have before us. He Africked with the greatest respect and I am aware that it will not be easy, ”he said accompanied by Markus Söder, leader of the CDU’s brother party, the Bavaria Christian Union (CSU).
In this context, and with an eye on the next negotiations, the conservative leader indicated that, although the electoral campaign had been “very hard”, it was necessary to discuss “on the important and transcendental issues” of the country. “Economic policy, foreign and security policy, internal security,” he said.
“But now we are going to talk and the main thing is to create as soon as possible a government capable of acting in Germany with a good parliamentary majority. Because, dear friends, the world does not expect for us and does not expect long conversations and coalition negotiations, ”he said.
For the call to be the future German chancellor it is important that the country can be able to act again “quickly to be able to do the right thing” in Germany. “And to be present again in Europe and so that the world takes us into account. Germany will have a reliable government again, ”he said.
Merz thus faces an arduous task: seek a governing partner. Everything indicates that it will have to negotiate and possibly also with the greens. The latter has the strong opposition of the CSU, which plans any government with environmentalists. “We do not know how the government will be,” he acknowledged in the traditional debate after the elections with the main matches on German public television.
“It would have been desirable that we exceed 30%, but we have to deal with the decisions that have been made and achieve viable government formation for the future,” said Leo Dautzenberg, deputy of the German Parliament of the CDU from 1998 to 2011. ” First you have to wait for the final result and then ask potential partners, except in the case of AFD, ”said the conservative politician about the ultra -right party, completely discarded of the negotiating table.
“Now we have to see how the majorities are achieved to form a government, because we have internal policy challenges,” Dautzenberg warned. “Europe is called to act and Germany must also assume a leadership role with France and Poland so that Europe will join and, together with the Spaniards, we can get something.”
In his opinion, it is “to formulate the objectives” and see who supports them. “Everything cannot be set until the last detail,” he explained about how negotiations are increased. Regarding the greens, he said that we will have to wait to know their goals. “And then wait to see if there is a majority,” he added right at the time Merz approached to greet him.
From the same opinion is Georg Schulz, who works on the CDU. “The main thing is to avoid a coalition of three games. That does not suit Germany, ”says Schulz, who, like many others, hopes that the figures will finally be enough to be able to form a great coalition with the SPD. “I think that would be the best, but they will be hard negotiations,” he says. A friction point will be economic policy. “For example, the reform of the basic subsidy or the minimum wage. Those are painful issues for the SPD, ”he says. “I think, on the other hand, in terms of migration and internal security they are very close.”
All in the CDU hope to achieve a coalition government with the SPD before Easter. But in case of a tripartite, the negotiation can be much more, being able to reach even summer. “Hopefully not to get to that,” says Schulz.
Also entrepreneurs gathered at the headquarters of the CDU are concerned about a possible delay in government formation and the effects that this would have on a country that has and that has to face a deep crisis in its traditional industry.
“I think that the challenges for Germany and for Europe are huge at this time, both in foreign policy and in economics. That is why negotiations should be carried out as quickly as possible. I hope they are finished for Holy Week, ”says Felix Pakleppa, general director of the Central Association of the German construction industry (ZDB). The entrepreneur and lawyer expects the numbers to be sufficient for a coalition of only conservatives and social democrats. But he admits that “economic issues, brake on indebtedness and welfare state will undoubtedly be the most difficult to deal with the SPD.” Not so much the immigration issue. “I think the SPD is aware that its voters also expect changes in irregular immigration.”
Now it’s time to wait. First, to the definitive result of the elections; and second, to the round of conversations to probe to potential partners and that will begin this week.
