After the vote of the FDP: disillusionment among the Frankfurt Greens

The euphoria is gone.

The day after the Frankfurt FDP's decision to reject the coalition agreement that had been negotiated for weeks, the Greens are exhausted.

The party, which was successful in the local elections and which after the election seemed to have all the options for the formation of a new city government, has, in the opinion of some Green politicians, been in ruins since the Liberals' decision.

Mechthild Harting

Editor in the Rhein-Main-Zeitung.

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“What now?” That is the most frequently asked question on Thursday among the Greens, but also in the entire Roman environment.

At least now, the Greens cannot and will not give an answer.

There is a lot of talk of disappointment, of a surprising turnaround, but also of a "great surprise".

After all, the FDP politicians had negotiated intensively with the Greens, but also with the SPD and Volt, in order to form a coalition together, a new city government for the next five years, from this week on.

"Talked to each other at eye level"

"We spoke well, constructively and above all on an equal footing," says party spokesman Bastian Bergerhoff, who is considered the head of the negotiating commission of the Greens, but due to the leadership role of his party, he is also responsible for the entire coalition talks and, above all, for their results feels. He was disappointed that the FDP leadership had not succeeded in bringing the good negotiation results through to their base.

Other Green politicians react with incomprehension to statements such as those of FDP leader Thorsten Lieb, who said on Wednesday evening at the Liberals' party conference that the coalition agreement offered “no cause for euphoria”. During the negotiations, some recall, the Liberals in particular had made a strong contribution - that was already practiced cooperation. “We were already in work mode.” One of the Greens says that, based on these deliberations, he thought: It will be five good years. The withdrawal of the Liberals, their apparently little commitment to the treaty and thus to the coalition, is hardly understandable. Other Green politicians regret the FDP's decision that this rather unusual coalition was a great opportunity.

"And we are certainly not green toads," says one member, referring to the statement made by FDP city councilor Elke Tafel-Stein, who said at the liberal party conference that "the green toad eats us up completely". There is actually nothing to criticize about toads, after all, they are important animals, and the Greens are campaigning for species protection anyway. Nevertheless, the picture is not correct: "We Greens are the sunflower - not the toad."

How are things going on with the Greens and the FDP?

What could a new city government under the leadership of the Greens look like after the bang of the Liberals?

It must be because of the weeks of negotiations that the Greens are so quiet and thoughtful on this day.

Not even from the young people, who turned the whole party upside down with their motions and votes at the start of the election campaign last November, there are no combative tones to be heard.

“I'm tired of going on the barricades,” one admits.

"Not shown from a good side"

"We should first think every two days about what and what we have been working on together over the past four weeks," advises an experienced local politician. It was now up to the FDP to submit a proposal on how to move forward together. And he advises his own party not to point a finger at the FDP. The "own team" also did not show itself from a good side on Wednesday evening. The discussion about the personnel for the five departmental posts of the party and about the extent to which the selection made is compatible with the party's women's statute was irritating. Contract and filling of the posts with suitable people - that is a total package to make this city greener, to convey a new beginning.

Others also advise taking their time. Strength lies in rest. In any case, voters expect that there will be “stable governance” in the Romans and that long-term thinking will take place. Bergerhoff, who is the only one to officially comment on the events on Thursday, says: The Greens are thinking for a moment about how things could go on. However, he also makes it clear that the following applies in principle: “Coalition agreements cannot be renegotiated.” Especially since the demands of the FDP are “difficult points” in Bergerhoff's view. The Liberals are calling for the number of full-time city councilors to be reduced from eleven to nine, for the left-wing, autonomous centers not to be tolerated; , an independent,external appraisal is commissioned.

Great opportunity for the CDU?

Could the left step into the breach and join the coalition, as many of the young and new members of the Greens wanted at the beginning?

Or does the CDU, whose councilors have already been voted out of office, now have their big chance?

It is hardly conceivable that a party could simply jump into the empty space of the FDP and sign the coalition agreement after brief renegotiations.

The Greens say that the party wants to discuss what the FDP vote means and what is still possible.

It is said that a result can only be expected in a few days.

Apparently the Greens have to gather again first.