A “traffic light” coalition in Germany includes the center-left Social Democrats (SPD — represented by red), the business-focused Free Democrats (FDP — represented by yellow), and the environmentalist Greens.
The traffic light coalition formed under Chancellor Olaf Scholz in 2021 is just one example.
Germany’s 2021 general election saw the center-left Social Democrats emerge as the biggest party in Germany’s lower house, the Bundestag, ahead of its main rival, the conservative CDU/CSU union.
The SPD had shared power as a junior coalition partner with conservatives in a so-called “grand coalition” for three terms during Chancellor Angela Merkel’s 16 years in office.
Three years ago, both parties ruled out the possibility of a similar, if reversed situation with the conservatives as junior.
Instead, the political pendulum swung toward the traffic light coalition.
After long negotiations, the three parties announced a deal in late November 2021, with Chancellor Olaf Scholz and his cabinet taking office soon afterward.
It was on EU, foreign, and security policy that the three parties seem to be most aligned.
However, there were always fundamental differences in the parties’ domestic platforms.
The FDP was against the SPD and Greens’ plan to raise taxes on the wealthiest to deal with the pandemic and the resulting national debt.
Lindner’s liberals appear also at odds with both parties’ climate policy, which envisions a stronger government hand. Instead, the FDP wanted market-driven solutions to the climate crisis.
More recently, the three parties remained deeply divided over next year’s budget and the steps required to fix the country’s ailing economy.