Strict rule book for German coalition talks – no selfies, no delay, no leaks – politico

A confidential document in which the coalition talks between the conservative Christian Democratic Union and its Bavarian sister party (CDU/CSU) and the Social Democrats (Center-Link Social Democrats) (SPD) are presented, shows how different this process will be of the chaotic, threatened negotiations from 2021.

In Germany, coalition talks are long, messy affairs. After the 2021 elections, the SPD, Greens and Free Democrats (FDP) formed an alliance that is known as the one Traffic light (Traffic light) coalition – named after their party colors. In order to signal the new cooperation, their leaders took a now famous selfie, a picture that quickly became viral as a symbol of the unit.

But the unit did not stop. This three-party government was soon arrested by public infighting, political disagreements and top-class clashes between the tax conservative FDP and the more progressive SPD and the Greens.

The new CDU/CSU S-SPD coalition was determined to avoid repeating and has imposed strict media controls. No press messages, no leaks and absolutely no social media snapshots. The news: This time negotiations will be business and not performative.

The document, which serves as a “game book” for the 256 negotiators, also prescribes strict rules for the process. All results of the working group are written by a central steering committee before reaching the party leaders.

The rules even extend to regulate what the negotiators will eat. If the meetings are held outside the party, the catering must be ordered via a proven provider, and invoices only have to be directed to the CDU's German CDU, which will later be distributed the costs.

Financial proposals must be documented and disputes should be settled at the most possible level in order to minimize the fights with a high drama that plagued the last government.

Even logistics are closely regulated. Working groups have to submit their first agenda designs by March 16, and all negotiations have to complete by March 24 at 5 p.m.