By Stephen Peter
Negotiate until the doctor comes! On Friday, the CDU and SPD met for the last time for coalition talks. The result is to be presented on Monday at 11 a.m. in the former surgical and intensive care wing of the Charité. Then it becomes clear what Black and Red are planning to do with Berlin.
The negotiations began three weeks ago and were concluded on Friday in the ballroom of the House of Representatives. At the weekend, only the departmental distribution should be discussed. “We are right on schedule with that,” said CDU election winner Kai Wegner (50). He promised the journalists: “We will present you with a finished coalition agreement on April 3.”
BZ explains what will be in the paper.
► Housing: CDU and SPD rely on more speed in housing construction, want a “fast building law”. Regulations in the state building code are being simplified to enable faster approval procedures. Goal: up to 20,000 new apartments per year. There should also be a purchase program for apartments. “We want to increase the stock of state-owned companies to half a million apartments,” said Franziska Giffey (44, SPD), who is still in power, on Friday. “We’re now at almost 400,000.”
Black and red is for development on the edge of Tempelhofer Feld. “We want to launch an international urban planning competition,” announced Giffey. The Berliners should vote on a concept.
► Security: Significantly more staff for the police and fire brigade. Equipment with more bodycams and tasers (electric shock guns), refurbishment of the guards and control centers. More video surveillance of places with high crime rates.
► Traffic: Expansion of public transport, “particularly in the area of rail” (Wegner). Increasing clock frequency in suburbs and downtown. Wegner: “We say yes to safe cycle paths, we say yes to safe bicycle parking spaces, but we also say a clear yes to private transport.” Continuation of the 29-euro ticket – but so far the VBB has been against it.
► Education: Introduction of a compulsory elective subject “Weltanschauung/Religions” as a regular subject, but ethics will remain. The probationary year and the MSA at high schools will probably be abolished. Language day-care centers should be continued despite the loss of federal funds, and day-care centers should generally receive better financial support. For children with language deficits there is an obligatory pre-school year (“Kita-Chancen-Year”). This already exists, but is regulated differently by the districts.
► Administration: Mobile citizen offices. Better regulation of the responsibilities of district and senate administrations. Strengthen the role of district mayors. There should be a queer commissioner, a commission of inquiry to “shed light” on possible racism in public authorities. Lowering the voting age to 16.
But black and red is not in the towel yet! The SPD will start a member vote on the coalition agreement next week. Vote by postal ballot, closing date April 21 at 11:59 p.m. The result will be announced on April 23rd.
The CDU decides at a party conference. Theoretically, Wegner could be elected governing mayor by the House of Representatives on April 27th.