Red-red-green in Schwerin: Greens bring in big names from other states
For coalition talks in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, the Greens are relying on Michael Kellner, Renate Künast and other politicians from outside the state. Lead candidate Müller cites a lack of experience.
Symbolic image · Photo: User:Kolossos / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 (cropped and resized)
In coalition talks between the SPD, the Left Party and the Greens in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, the Greens are relying on experienced politicians from other states. Their 19-member negotiating team includes former state secretary Michael Kellner from Brandenburg's Uckermark region, former Brandenburg minister Ursula Nonnemacher, former Saxony environment minister Wolfram Günther and Schleswig-Holstein state secretary Joschka Knuth, Tagesspiegel reported. In the climate and environment working group, former federal agriculture minister Renate Künast faces state environment minister Till Backhaus (SPD).
Lead candidate Claudia Müller attributed this to a lack of negotiating experience within her own party: "That's why I asked experienced colleagues, especially from eastern and northern Germany, to help." Kellner said: "It shows strength to seek help – a strength that is unfortunately too rare in politics." The Greens in the northeast have few members and lost many leading figures after a sexism scandal in their parliamentary group last year and the dispute that followed.
The alliance would hold 39 of 71 seats in the state parliament, three more than needed for a majority; the AfD became the strongest party in the Sept. 20 election with 32 seats. Points of contention include a ministry for climate protection, energy and mobility sought by the Greens, as well as the expansion of wind power. State party conventions are to decide on the coalition agreement in mid-November; under the state constitution, the premier must be elected by Nov. 17 at the latest.