In Brandenburg, the SPD and the CDU have officially started negotiations to form a joint state government. This follows the breakdown of the first coalition in Germany between the SPD and the B cndnis Sahra Wagenknecht (BSW) after about a year. Minister-President Dietmar Woidke (SPD) and CDU state leader Jan Redmann agreed on quick talks. Both sides aim to present a finished 'Koalitionsvertrag' by the Easter holiday. Such an alliance would hold a narrow majority of just one vote in the Brandenburg state parliament.
The reason for this change was the SPD's termination of cooperation with the BSW, which they justified by citing the partner's perceived inability to govern effectively. This followed internal disagreements within the BSW parliamentary group and the party's refusal to give a clear commitment of loyalty to the existing coalition agreement. Woidke stressed that Brandenburg needs stability given the major challenges ahead and that new elections should be avoided.
At the same time, the state government in Cottbus announced a tightening of asylum policy. In response to violent incidents in schools, a district-specific residency obligation ('Wohnsitzauflage') will be introduced for asylum seekers with a prospect of staying. This obligation means that migrants can be bound to an assigned place of residence for a maximum of three years after leaving initial reception centers. The goal of this measure is to relieve cities like Cottbus and better manage social integration.
