The only future nationally SPDThe /BSW coalition in Brandenburg is in disarray after four BSW MPs left the party. The SPD wants to hold talks with its coalition partners in the state parliament. The SPD wants to stick to an initial decision planned for today on two controversial state media contracts. “We will then discuss how to proceed,” said SPD parliamentary group leader Björn Lüttmann.
In the BSW disputes arise regarding the handling of the contract. On Tuesday evening, four members of the party and parliamentary group – Jouleen Gruhn, Melanie Matzies, André von Ossowski and Reinhard Simon – announced they were leaving the party in a statement.
In the main committee, the parliamentary group wants to discuss two government media agreements regarding broadcasting reform namely ARD, ZDF and Deutschlandradio as well as more media protection for the younger generation. They will be voted on in state parliament next week.
Chair of the SPD Parliamentary Group: Dynamics cannot be assessed
In their statement, the four MPs justified their departure from the party by saying that radical positions dominated BSW. But they want to stay in the group. According to DPA information, they want to remain non-partisan.
The SPD and BSW coalition has been in existence for almost a year and is the majority’s only option if the AfD does not come into government. What will happen next with the coalition remains to be seen. In practice, there are currently three partners: SPD, BSW and four members of parliament who have left BSW. “The dynamics within the BSW faction are surprising and cannot be assessed conclusively at this time,” Lüttmann said.
Disputes also occur within BSW
The majority of the BSW parliamentary group have announced they will vote against the government’s media deal. This means that the coalition will not have a majority. The BSW parliamentary group is calling for wider reform and is concerned about excessive government intervention in plans to protect young people in the media. The SPD initially demanded mutual agreement within the coalition.
Disputes also occurred at BSW. Finance Minister Robert Crumbach (BSW) supports the reform. The party’s federal executive committee rejected it in early November. Recently, four MPs submitted a motion of no confidence against the executive committee of the parliamentary group led by its chairman Niels-Olaf Lüders.
Separate sounds in BSW
For Wednesday’s key committees – preliminary voting – Crumbach is expected to vote yes, and parliamentary group leader BSW Lüders will vote no. According to Lüders, the BSW parliamentary group wants to take a decision in the state parliament on 19/20. The majority voted no in November. The opposition CDU is expected to get a majority so the contract does not fail nationwide.
For now, the coalition is still in power. Before the announcement that all four BSW MPs were leaving the party, the SPD parliamentary group said it wanted to stick with the coalition even though the BSW majority said no.
© dpa-infocom, dpa:251112-930-280388/1
