SPD's 358,000 Members Vote on Coalition Deal; CDU Debates AfD's Six Bundestag Committee Chairs
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Germany's Social Democratic Party (SPD) members, numbering about 358,000, have begun voting on a coalition agreement with the Christian Democratic Union (CDU/CSU). The vote, which requires at least 20% participation, runs through April 29, with results expected on April 30. SPD leaders, including co-chairs Lars Klingbeil and Saskia Esken, have urged support for the agreement, warning that failure could result in new elections or a minority government. The CDU will vote on the agreement at a party conference on April 28, while the CSU has already endorsed it. If all parties approve, the Bundestag could elect CDU leader Friedrich Merz as chancellor as early as May 6.
The coalition agreement, reached after the February 23 elections in which the SPD received 16.4% of the vote, faces opposition from the SPD's youth organization, the Jusos, and other party members. Criticism centers on migration and social policy, while SPD leaders highlight achievements such as the Industriestrompreis, Tariftreuegesetz, and Unterhaltsvorschuss. Regional SPD leaders like Felix Döring, Martin Gerster, and Carolin Wagner have acknowledged both achievements and criticisms. SPD parliamentary manager Katja Mast and co-chair Saskia Esken have emphasized the coalition agreement's commitment to exclude cooperation with anti-constitutional or extremist parties.
A separate debate has emerged over the parliamentary treatment of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD). Jens Spahn, deputy leader of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group, has proposed treating the AfD like any other opposition party regarding parliamentary procedures and committee chairmanships. Support for this position has come from CDU politicians Michael Kretschmer, Philipp Amthor, Johann Wadephul, and Gitta Connemann, as well as CSU's Klaus Holetschek. They argue that denying the AfD its parliamentary rights could strengthen the party. The AfD, led by Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla, claims six committee chairmanships and has expressed interest in the budget committee.
The proposal has drawn strong criticism from the SPD, the Left Party's Heidi Reichinnek, and others, who argue that the AfD should not be treated as a normal parliamentary party due to its extremist positions. Some CDU members, such as Roderich Kiesewetter, have warned against granting the AfD posts in security-related committees. There is precedent for the AfD holding committee chairs, but previous appointments have been revoked. The issue remains contentious within the CDU/CSU and continues to be a point of disagreement between the coalition partners.
SPD and left are grumbling @jensspahn because he wants to normalize how we deal with #AfD. And in the Union, fear of the guardians of #Brandmauer is immediately revealed again. Their fatal effect is becoming more and more obvious. https://t.co/A5i2YIoDu2
Leading politicians in the Union are calling for the right-wing party to chair specialist committees in the Bundestag. There is a hail of criticism from the Social Democrats. https://t.co/N4BffI9Hui
Hammer: Even Union Group Vice Middelberg no longer wants to ostracize the AfD from the committees in the Bundestag! Spahn, Kretschmer, Wadephul, Middelberg... How does Merz still want to stop this?
Will the AfD finally get its well-deserved committee chairman in the Bundestag soon?
