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The planned increase in the license fee has sparked a bitter dispute in the Kenyan coalition in Saxony-Anhalt. Prime Minister Reiner Haseloff (CDU) has convened the top representatives of the CDU, the SPD and the Greens to an unscheduled coalition committee, as SPIEGEL learned from government circles. The dpa news agency had already reported on it.
The only problem is likely to be the difficult situation ahead of major votes on the so-called State Media Treaty. Saxony-Anhalt could be the only federal state to vote against the transmission fee adjustment by 86 cents to 18.36 euros per month from January 2021.
The black-red-green coalition has not yet been able to agree on a uniform vote. If that does not change, not only is the nationwide transmission fee increase in jeopardy, but also the continued existence of the state government. The final vote in the state parliament is due in mid-December. The media committee takes a position on Wednesday, the SPD and the Greens want to support the increase scheduled for January 1. The CDU rejects the project and argues the lack of reform will on the part of public law.
The new contribution was determined by an independent commission and approved by the prime ministers. However, for it to arrive, all 16 state parliaments have to agree, and most of them have already done so. Saxony-Anhalt is considered the only vacillating candidate.
The AfD opposition also opposes the increase in premiums. The CDU and the AfD together have a majority in the media committee and in parliament. There are no separate votes in the coalition. It is agreed to abstain in the event of disagreement between the parties to the alliance. According to the three parties in the coalition, that is not an option in this case. In this case, the state treaty would stop only with the AfD votes, because it has more votes than the left as the second opposition party. This wants to agree.
Union politician Motschmann: “There is no common cause” with the AfD
Prime Minister Haseloff had announced that he still wanted to get a unified vote from the coalition. Conflict is a constant problem between government partners and the threat of veto by the CDU and the AfD is causing a stir and criticism across the country.
The Union parliamentary group’s media policy spokesperson, Elisabeth Motschmann, warned the Saxony-Anhalt CDU of the planned move. “You definitely shouldn’t make common cause with the AfD,” he told the “German publishing network.”
The CDU leadership around party leader Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer has yet to take a position. He is threatened with a situation similar to that of the government crisis in Thuringia, which was triggered by a joint vote of the CDU, AfD and FDP in the elections for prime minister and ultimately led Kramp-Karrenbauer to resign.
Strong criticism of Klingbeil
SPD Secretary General Lars Klingbeil renewed his criticism of the Christian Democrats. “The CDU is playing with fire again and a few months after the Thuringia embarrassment it is now preparing the next cooperation with the AfD in Saxony-Anhalt,” he told the “Tagesspiegel”. “The fact that the federal government is silent on this is not a good sign.”
There are a number of scenarios for the coalition to end only a few months before the state elections. They reportedly range from the withdrawal of the SPD and green cabinet ministers and a minority government from the CDU to the withdrawal of Prime Minister Haseloff, the premature dissolution of the state parliament, and snap elections. On June 6, 2021, a new state parliament would be elected.
The Greens made clear at a party congress on Friday that they see no basis for further government cooperation if the CDU votes with the AfD and against the coalition partners. The SPD sends out similar signals. They both want to prevent this situation with more discussions and suggestions. The CDU parliamentary group sees the criticism as a threat and blackmail and wants to stick to their vote. It will meet Tuesday morning to continue deliberations. The SPD and the Greens also have meetings of parliamentary groups.
