Wüst does not rule out a grand coalition

Created: 05/16/2022, 13:54

Hendrik Wüst (CDU), Prime Minister of North Rhine-Westphalia, takes part in a press conference.

© Michael Kappeler/dpa

After his state election victory, North Rhine-Westphalia's Prime Minister and CDU state leader Hendrik Wüst did not categorically rule out a grand coalition.

When asked about such an alliance, he said on Monday after a meeting of the CDU federal executive board in Berlin: "I will approach all democratic parties represented in the state parliament with an offer to talk."

Berlin/Düsseldorf - When asked about the likelihood of a black-green coalition, Wüst confirmed that the CDU and the Greens were both election winners.

"And if we all take note of that now - after sleeping on it - with respect and decency, I think there are a few guard rails."

Although the CDU left the SPD in the election with a result of 35.7 percent - far more clearly than the polls had previously indicated - Wüst does not derive any claims to top federal political offices from this.

When asked about corresponding leadership ambitions, the 46-year-old said: "A North Rhine-Westphalian Prime Minister always plays a role in Berlin".

The head of state always has the interests of his country and the people in mind first and foremost.

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After the SPD has not yet ruled out the possibility of exploring a traffic light alliance itself, Wüst emphasized again that voters had given the CDU a clear government mandate with a lead of nine percentage points over the SPD.

He will do this in the next few days.

His goal is to form a stable state government "that faces the major tasks and challenges of our time and that works together reliably and trustingly on an equal footing".

Wüst assured: "We want to forge a modern alliance for the future with respect and trust that provides answers to the big questions of our time." The biggest challenge is "the reconciliation of climate protection and industrialized countries".

This change must succeed above all in NRW, since nowhere else do so many well-paid jobs and social security depend on it.

A modern alliance for the future also includes the best education, internal security and modern mobility.

Wüst thanked all the campaigners who had "worked a small miracle" in just 200 days of his term in office.

dpa