The path to the first "traffic light" coalition at the Federal level in Germany – rationalized government formation behind closed doors 2021

The formation of the traffic light coalition and the government of SPD, Bündnis 90/Die Grünen and FDP after the Bundestag election in 2021 was conducted in a structured process, characterized by ongoing institutionalization compared to the past. After a short phase of preliminary talks ("Vorsondierungen"), exploratory talks ("Sondierungsgespräche") were held in a mid-sized group. This led to official coalition negotiations of almost 300 people, conducted in a large structure with a clear division of labor in a main negotiation group ("Hauptverhandlungsrunde") and 22 policy-specific working groups. They included a considerable number of party representatives from the states ("Länder"). Compared to previous years, details in the organization of the negotiations were slightly adjusted: It was vertically flatter and horizontally more differentiated, but there was no fundamental transformation. While continuity in structures and process can be observed, the interactions changed: In 2021, they were characterized by strict confidentiality and happened largely behind closed doors. At defined steps after the exploratory talks and the coalition negotiations, results were made public in writing and given to the involved parties for decision. The stipulated way of working together in the coalition and the structure of the committee system in the new Bundestag also show continuity. Overall, a slight increase in parliamentary influence on the coalition negotiations becomes evident.