It was a scene that might cause shock in the United States or Britain, where the partisan divide is much deeper. But in Germany, where Angela Merkel’s conservatives and the Social Democrats (SPD) put months of hostility behind them yesterday, sat down at the same table and even hugged each other, the readiness to forge consensus barely raised an eyebrow.
At the start of coalition negotiations that are expected to last six weeks, 77 politicians from the rival camps buried the hatchet and held a cordial first meeting at the headquarters of Merkel’s Christian Democrats (CDU) in Berlin.
None of the animosity of the past months was evident. On the contrary, the gathering had the look of a family reunion.
“For people whose interactions in recent months were limited to an election battle it is important to set another tone and build personal relations,” said Andrea Nahles, general secretary of the SPD.
“We all hugged to begin with. That was very helpful,” added Alexander Dobrindt, her counterpart with the Bavarian Christian Social Union (CSU), sister party to the CDU.
Negotiations are expected to last six weeks
The first formal session of coalition negotiations lasted less than two hours and was dominated by procedural matters.
The big group, which is due to meet once a week for the next six weeks to hammer out policy compromises based on the proposals of 12 working groups, decided their next meeting on October 30 – which will take place at SPD headquarters – would focus on European issues.
Some of Germany’s allies are hoping a government that includes the SPD will take a softer approach towards struggling southern euro members, but any changes are likely to be subtle.
The SPD is expected to push for a European financial transactions tax, harsh rules for creditors to bear the cost of failing banks, and a renewed effort to stem youth unemployment in southern Europe. These are all themes that Merkel has supported in one form or another.
Other challenges include agreeing a minimum wage, overhauling a renewables law that has sent energy costs soaring, and finding funds to raise public investment on infrastructure, education and research – a major demand of the SPD.