Compared with the political turmoil that had lasted and especially before the state elections in Saxony-Anhalt, the coalition negotiations have since been surprisingly quiet, at least for the public.

For a good two weeks the CDU, SPD and FDP have been talking about the planned “Germany coalition”, which has not yet existed anywhere in the Federal Republic.

Stefan Locke

Correspondent for Saxony and Thuringia based in Dresden.

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The talks were originally supposed to be concluded this Friday, but now it will take even longer.

"In case of doubt we have to negotiate by Sunday," said CDU state chairman Sven Schulze of the FAZ. So far, the content has made good progress in large groups, but now details between the parties still have to be clarified in small groups.

The atmosphere was extremely tense at times.

There are also a number of critical points, but no fundamental dissent that could completely endanger the project, said Schulze.

"We are well on schedule"

CDU, SPD and FDP had interrupted the talks after eleven hours shortly after midnight on Wednesday. “We were simply tired,” said SPD state chairwoman Juliane Kleemann of the FAZ. “But we are well on schedule. Tomorrow it goes on. ”According to Kleemann, a day's buffer was planned anyway. Thursday was used for small group talks to clarify "hairy points".

The hairiest, at least that's what those involved say, are, as is so often the case at the end of coalition negotiations, the distribution and layout of the departments. For example, on Wednesday there was supposed to have been a violent dispute about the Ministry of Economic Affairs, which so far has led the SPD, but which the CDU would like to see in its portfolio with reference to the election result. The CDU had clearly won the elections on June 6th with 37.1 percent and a plus of 7.3 percentage points, while the SPD lost 2.2 percentage points and reached 8.4 percent.

In the opinion of the CDU and FDP, which with 6.4 percent moved back into the state parliament after a break of two legislative periods, this must also be reflected in the distribution of the ministries. In addition, according to Schulze, the head of the CDU must also “find the DNA of a party in the area of ​​responsibility”. The three parties agree that the number of ministries, ministers and state secretaries should remain the same.

So far, a so-called Kenya coalition made up of CDU, SPD and Greens has ruled Magdeburg. According to reports, the three future partners agreed on Thursday on the basic layout of the departments and the responsibilities for them. The FDP should be responsible for digitization, regional development and transport and the SPD for energy, environment and science. Economy and agriculture go to the CDU, which will continue to be responsible for the areas of education, finance, home affairs and justice.

After the unexpectedly clear victory of the CDU, which crossed the finish line 17 percentage points ahead of the AfD, the Union had several options for a coalition.

This included a continuation of the Kenya coalition, and even an alliance with the SPD alone would have been possible, which, however, would only have had a majority in the state parliament.

Time is running out

The fact that the Christian and Social Democrats in Magdeburg are still getting the Liberals on board is justified by polls, according to which most of the people in Saxony-Anhalt have spoken out in favor of such a coalition.

“It's the citizens' wish,” said Schulze.

"And at the same time a sign to Berlin that it can be done without the Greens."

If the three parties in Magdeburg successfully conclude their talks by Sunday, the new black-red-yellow government in Saxony-Anhalt could start work before the general election.

So far, the schedule provides for Prime Minister Reiner Haseloff to be re-elected on September 16.

Until then, however, the CDU and SPD still have to vote on the coalition agreement by members, while the FDP has announced that it will convene a party congress.

All of this takes time, and now it is urging if everything is to go according to plan.

But CDU boss Schulze is extremely confident.

"Overall, the 'Germany coalition' is on the right track," he said.

"There is no subject on which it could still fail."