Berlin – It is obviously the days of unity in the SPD. The traffic light coalition agreement for the federal government received 98 percent approval on Saturday. The Berlin SPD followed suit on Sunday. In the end, the red-green-red coalition agreement received 91.5 percent. At least there is no more agreement in the well-known, open-minded Berlin SPD. Elsewhere there was more anger about the paper, which is intended to provide a framework for government work for the next five years.
SPD state chairman, election winner and designated head of government Franziska Giffey herself spoke on Sunday at a digital party congress of a good basis for moving the city forward. “Together we now have the great opportunity to shape Berlin as a city of equality, diversity, cosmopolitanism, as a city for all those who want to live here freely and independently,” she said.
Berlin should become as strong again as it was before the Corona crisis, said Giffey. That is why the coalition is relying on support for the economy, a hiring offensive for the police and teachers, the continuation of the school building offensive, a functioning administration, more housing and a safe, clean city.
In her speech, Giffey thanked Bettina Jarasch from the Greens and Klaus Lederer from the Left by name. “Despite all the differences”, there is a paper “that everyone can live with”. A joint program was made, “in which the others can also find themselves”.
8,000 leftists vote on a red-green-red coalition agreement
The speakers who followed did indeed criticize Giffey and the rest of the party leadership in terms of urban development policy. But in the end, almost all SPD delegates spoke out in favor of the contract.
Many on the left, in particular, see it completely differently. And that could be decisive, given that the roughly 8,000 Berlin left-wing members can still vote on the coalition agreement until December 17th.
Many leftists are particularly hurt by the loss of the urban development department to the SPD. There is great anger that the core left-wing project of expropriating large real estate groups is becoming increasingly unlikely. A commission of experts should first examine constitutional conformity, requirements and possibilities for implementation. After one year, the committee should submit a recommendation to the Senate on how to proceed.
It is hard to imagine that the partners who are critical of expropriation, the SPD and the Greens, will be very interested in a draft law. Even if they are against the will of a successful referendum.
Left boss Schubert sees light and shadow
At the beginning, the left-wing state chairwoman Katina Schubert and other party leaders campaigned for approval. The coalition agreement is “a good basis to make the city more social, ecological and livable,” said Schubert. It contained light and shadow, said the party leader, choosing the formulation of the day, which almost all speakers agreed. Nevertheless, said Schubert: “What we can achieve is worth trying.” Even if she knows “that it will be a much, much more difficult coalition than the last”.
In this supposedly so much easier first edition of an R2G alliance, Klaus Lederer was one of the leading figures on the left. And Lederer also wants to participate again under red-green-red, again as mayor and cultural senator. Correspondingly committed, he defended the contract. Everywhere in the government program there are “serious, very progressive approaches that are worth struggling to achieve,” said Lederer.
Senator Lederer messes with Neukölln naysayers
Since Lederer knows the mood, he immediately widened his gaze. “A no would not strengthen us,” he said. It will raise the question of what a vote is worth for the left if they don’t take the chance to help shape it. A no to government participation will bring the party “isolation for years” because of the destroyed confidence in parliament and put them on a “heavy defensive”, said Lederer and on the occasion sent a small greeting to the particularly stubborn district association of Neukölln. Its general meeting openly rejects the contract. “Yes, governing is more difficult than opposition, believe me,” said Lederer. In Neukölln, if you say no, “the champagne corks may pop”. But aiming for failure is “a self-destructive strategy”.
The answer from Neukölln came promptly: “Where do the champagne corks pop if we agree?” Asked a delegate to answer himself immediately: “With the real estate companies.” Ferat Kocak from Neukölln, newly elected to parliament, also announced his no to: “There are no toads that we have to swallow, they are elephants.”
The expropriation initiative calls the SPD attitude “betrayal of democracy”
Kocak and all the other critics received support from the expropriation initiative itself, which on September 26th achieved the approval of 56.3 percent of Berliners. “The coalition agreement shows that the SPD party leadership is blocking the referendum,” a statement said. “If you don’t want to implement the referendum, you shouldn’t govern. Because that would be a betrayal of democracy, “said a spokeswoman for the initiative.
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