Hamburg's Greens Approve First-ever Coalition Deal with CDU

Black Green: Ole von Beust (CDU, r), Christa Goetsch (Green 2nd from r.), Michael Freytag (2nd from left) and Anja Hajduk(Green, l) present the coalition agreement © picture-alliance / dpa

Germany's Green party approved the first-ever coalition deal with the Christian Democrats (CDU) at state level on Sunday April 27 when members passed a deal worked out between the executives of the two parties earlier this month.

The party - known in the northern city-state as the Greens-Alternative List (GAL) - approved the 65-page coalition agreement by a large majority.

CDU members are to vote on the coalition Monday.

CDU Mayor Ole von Beust is set to be confirmed in office by the state legislature on May 7. Von Beust was able to run Hamburg for the past four years without a coalition partner until he lost his majority in the February 24 elections.

He expressed confidence that the unprecedented arrangement would work. "I'm looking forward to a return to normal politics, when the work starts," he said after the GAL had voted.

Although there are several deals with the CDU at local level, the Greens have never before entered into government alongside the CDU at state or federal level.