Third Haseloff cabinet explained

Cabinet Name:Third Cabinet of Reiner Haseloff
Cabinet Number:10th
Cabinet Type:Cabinet
Jurisdiction:Saxony-Anhalt
Flag:Wappen Sachsen-Anhalt.svg
Flag Border:true
Incumbent:16 September 2021 –
Date Formed:16 September 2021
Government Head Title:Minister-President
Government Head:Reiner Haseloff
Deputy Government Head Title:Deputy Minister-President
Deputy Government Head:Armin Willingmann
Lydia Hüskens
Members Number:9
Political Parties:Christian Democratic Union
Social Democratic Party
Free Democratic Party
Legislature Status:Coalition government
Opposition Parties:Alternative for Germany
The Left
Alliance 90/The Greens
Election:2021 Saxony-Anhalt state election
Legislature Term:8th Landtag of Saxony-Anhalt
Predecessor:Second Haseloff cabinet

The Third Haseloff cabinet is the current state government of Saxony-Anhalt, sworn in on 16 September 2021 after Reiner Haseloff was elected as Minister-President of Saxony-Anhalt by the members of the Landtag of Saxony-Anhalt. It is the 10th Cabinet of Saxony-Anhalt.

It was formed after the 2021 Saxony-Anhalt state election by the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), Social Democratic Party (SPD), and Free Democratic Party (FDP). Excluding the Minister-President, the cabinet comprises nine ministers. Six are members of the CDU, two are members of the SPD, and one is a member of the FDP.

Formation

See also: 2021 Saxony-Anhalt state election. The previous cabinet was a coalition government of the CDU, SPD, and Greens led by Minister-President Reiner Haseloff.

The election took place on 6 June 2021, and resulted in a substantial swing toward to CDU, while the SPD recorded small losses and the Greens slight gains. The opposition AfD and The Left also suffered losses, while the FDP re-entered the Landtag with 6%.

Overall, the incumbent coalition increased its majority; the CDU and SPD alone held a one-seat majority. The CDU announced that they would seek exploratory talks with the SPD, Greens, and FDP. The Greens ruled out renewing the outgoing government on the basis that their involvement was no longer mathematically necessary.[1] The FDP initially rejected a coalition with the CDU and SPD on the same grounds, but recanted their position two days after the election and stated they were open to talks.[2]

Exploratory discussions began on 21 June with a meeting between the CDU and SPD.[3] By 2 July, the CDU and FDP had come to an agreement on a number of points, and stated that they were seeking a third partner for a coalition. The CDU also noted that they had found difficulties during talks with the Greens, and wished for another meeting with the SPD.[4]

On 7 July, the CDU, SPD, and FDP announced their intention to begin coalition negotiations together.[5] After some debate, on 16 July the SPD party congress gave their approval for the party to commence negotiations.[6] They began on 19 July and concluded with a 15-hour meeting on 6 August, at which the parties finalised their coalition contract and agreed to present it on the 9th.[7]

The CDU and SPD both held membership ballots to approve the pact. The SPD announced their results on 4 September, with 63.4% of members approving the coalition on 60.4% turnout. The CDU announced on 10 September that their membership had voted 92.1% in favour; the FDP party congress also passed the contract later that evening with 98% approval from delegates.[8] It was formally signed on 13 September.[9]

Reiner Haseloff was elected Minister-President by the Landtag on 16 September after two rounds of voting. He unexpectedly lost the first ballot, receiving 48 votes in favour to 49 against, with no abstentions. On the second ballot, he was elected with 53 votes in favour to 43 against and one abstention.[10]

Minister-President election
Ballot →16 September 2021
Required majority →49 out of 97 49 out of 97
bgcolor= Reiner Haseloff
bgcolor=red Against
Abstentions

Composition

PortfolioMinisterPartyTook officeLeft officeState secretaries
Minister-PresidentReiner Haseloff
bgcolor=CDU16 September 2021Incumbent
First Deputy Minister-President
Minister for Science, Energy, Climate Protection and Environment
Armin Willingmann
bgcolor=SPD16 September 2021Incumbent
Second Deputy Minister-President
Minister for Infrastructure and Digital Affairs
Lydia Hüskens
bgcolor=FDP16 September 2021Incumbent
Minister for Labour, Social Affairs, Health and EqualityPetra Grimm-Benne
bgcolor=SPD16 September 2021Incumbent
Head of the Chancellery
Minister for Culture
Rainer Robra
bgcolor=CDU16 September 2021Incumbent
Minister for Interior and SportTamara Zieschang
bgcolor=CDU16 September 2021Incumbent
Minister for Economics, Tourism, Agriculture and ForestsSven Schulze
bgcolor=CDU16 September 2021Incumbent
Minister for FinanceMichael Richter
bgcolor=CDU16 September 2021Incumbent
Minister for EducationEva Feußner
bgcolor=CDU16 September 2021Incumbent
Minister for Justice and Consumer ProtectionFranziska Weidinger
bgcolor=CDU16 September 2021Incumbent

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: State elections in Saxony-Anhalt: Little hope left for the Kenya coalition. 8 June 2021. de. Frankfurter Rundschau.
  2. Web site: Exploratory talks in Saxony-Anhalt are scheduled to start next week. 10 June 2021. de. Mitteldeutsche Zeitung.
  3. Web site: Saxony-Anhalt: CDU and SPD start exploratory talks. 21 June 2021. de. Volksstimme.
  4. Web site: The CDU and the Greens continue to keep doors open for coalition negotiations. 2 July 2021. de. Mitteldeutscher Rundfunk.
  5. Web site: CDU wants to form a coalition with SPD and FDP. 7 July 2021. de. Süddeutsche Zeitung.
  6. Web site: SPD votes for negotiations with CDU and FDP. 16 July 2021. de. Süddeutsche Zeitung.
  7. Web site: CDU, SPD and FDP in Saxony-Anhalt agree on governing alliance. 9 August 2021. de. Tagesspiegel.
  8. Web site: CDU and FDP agree - Saxony-Anhalt: the way for a coalition is clear. 10 September 2021. de. ZDF.
  9. Web site: CDU, SPD and FDP sign coalition agreement in Saxony-Anhalt. 13 September 2021. de. Mitteldeutscher Rundfunk.
  10. Web site: Haseloff re-elected Minister-President of Saxony-Anhalt. 16 September 2021. de. Mitteldeutscher Rundfunk.