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Very relaxed: Markus Söder at the CSU party conference
Photo: Peter Kneffel / dpa
While Armin Laschet heavily criticized his competitor Olaf Scholz at the CSU party congress, his colleague Markus Söder suddenly showed himself to be more generous in the direction of the Social Democrats: The Bavarian Prime Minister considers a new edition of the GroKo to be possible even after this election. With a view to coalition options for the Union, the CSU leader has mentioned the possibility of a further alliance with the Social Democrats - but only with a weaker SPD. "Can a grand coalition come again with the SPD if it gets weaker," he said on Saturday to the Phoenix news channel on the occasion of the CSU party conference in Nuremberg.
Söder had been asked about coalition opportunities for the Union apart from a Jamaican alliance with the Greens and the FDP. He then said that he assumed "that we still have a chance to intercept the SPD." The CSU party congress in Nuremberg showed how closely the CSU and CDU acted. The Prime Minister referred to the great approval of the delegates after the appearance of Union Chancellor candidate Armin Laschet.
"The decisive thing is that we are stronger than the SPD, because that is what the claim to leadership for a federal government is derived from," said Söder.
A few days ago, Söder told Deutschlandfunk that he “couldn't imagine” a Groko with the Union as a junior partner.
Should the SPD actually become the strongest force, it would also do everything to form a government with other forces.
Söder: FDP should exclude traffic light coalition
With a view to such alliances, Söder called on the FDP in the ARD to rule out a traffic light coalition with the SPD and the Greens.
"Yes, absolutely," replied Söder when asked whether he would join the CDU politician Friedrich Merz's call to the FDP last week to exclude a traffic light.
He understands the wish of FDP leader Christian Lindner to "become a minister," said Söder on the ARD program "Report from the CSU party congress".
"But in the end, it's not about your personal career plan, it's about the country," he added.
Söder emphasized on the coalition question: »Not with the AfD, not with the left.
Thats is quite easy.
And with the others you have to see what the majority can do. "
The Greens promptly criticized Söder's statement on the GroKo: their Federal Managing Director Michael Kellner declared that Söder let "the cat out of the bag" and pleaded "for a new standstill GroKo".
"A departure and the end of the continued-like this can only be achieved with green."
Would a GroKo even be an option?
In polls, the Union is currently in second place behind the SPD.
According to the current values, a GroKo would be just about possible - but only with the SPD as the coalition leader.
However, a traffic light coalition would achieve a few percent more, just like a Jamaica coalition.
A red-red-green alliance would just about overcome the hurdle.
SPD Chancellor candidate Olaf Scholz was recently asked in the ARD “Wahlarena” by a viewer whether he could be sure that there was no longer a new grand coalition.
Scholz had replied that it was his “whole goal” “that the CDU / CSU can now recover in the opposition”.
nek / dpa / AFP