The CDU and the Greens have been moving towards each other at breakneck speed since the North Rhine-Westphalian state elections.

They only needed three weeks to negotiate the first black-green coalition agreement in the most populous federal state.

While the Greens at a party conference in Bielefeld on Saturday complete a debate marathon lasting several hours before voting on the 146-page work, the CDU in Bonn is taking the last stage on the way to black-green in a turbo sprint.

Barely more than three quarters of an hour passed at the 44th CDU state party conference when he voted in favor of the contract with an overwhelming majority.

Only four delegates vote against it.

Pure burger

Political correspondent in North Rhine-Westphalia.

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In his speech, CDU state leader Hendrik Wüst had previously recalled that his party had been confirmed in government for the first time in 60 years in the May 15 election.

"With a lead of nine points, that's how clear the lead over the SPD was for the last time in 1958." The fact that the CDU and the Greens are now coming together is just as historic as this success.

In the past three weeks there had been "a lot of talking, wrestling, yes, and also arguing - but what was more important was that there was listening, long and hard".

As a result, the foundation for a successful cooperation has now been laid.

Rapid expansion of wind energy

Sometimes you had to travel long distances, said Wüst.

However, both parties understand sustainability in a comprehensive sense.

“We stand equally for more climate protection, i.e. a sustainable economy, social security, future-proof infrastructure, investments in education and solid finances.

Through our policy, we want to give future generations their freedom,” said the Prime Minister of North Rhine-Westphalia.

In the past, the CDU and the Greens often had a completely different understanding of what the best way to achieve the goal was.

As the first example of a black-green synthesis, Wüst named the rapid expansion of wind energy desired by the new coalition.

In their contract, the two parties agreed to allocate more space for wind turbines.

The expansion should be concentrated there in order to rule out "wild growth", said Wüst.

This will require changes in nature and species protection.

"Of course everyone now knows who moved where."

The coalition agreement bears the signature of both the CDU and the Greens, said Wüst.

Nevertheless, he pointed out two areas in which his CDU was largely able to implement its ideas: school policy and security policy.

Practically nothing remains of the Greens' school reform plans in the treaty.

The top black-green maxim is that students, parents and teachers have one thing most in need: reliability.

Black-Green have decided to make school policy on the basis of the school peace agreed in 2011 by the SPD, Greens and CDU.

"Especially after the pandemic, after all the uncertainty, this is very important for children and for teachers: there will be no systemic debate," said Wüst.

There are schools with an additional 10.

North Rhine-Westphalia will stay on course when it comes to internal security.

Also in the future there will be 3,000 new hires for the police every year.

Organized crime, rockers and clans would continue to be fought.

"We will not see a major reform of the police law, as we might have expected," said Wüst, alluding to a green campaign promise.