Federal manager Michael Kellner, anounced at Germany’s Green Party congress on Saturday morning, that the party allow all of its 120,000 members to vote on a final coalition deal.
The environmentalist party came third in last Sunday’s election with 14.8%, behind the center-left Social Democrats (SPD) and Angela Merkel’s center-right union of the Christian Democrats (CDU) and the Christian Social Union (CSU).
No party won enough seats to form a majority government, or even a two-party coalition as has been the norm for Germany since 1945. The most likely coalition formation will see the Greens and the business-focused Free Democrats (FDP) — who came in fourth — team up with either the SPD or CDU/CSU.
While members at Saturday’s conference approved the team that will head coalition negotiations, the final decision — including which positions will be earmarked for Green lawmakers — will be given to the party’s whole membership.
The co-leaders of the Greens, Annalena Baerbock — who stood as the party’s chancellor candidate — and Robert Habeck have already begun talks with the FDP.