Is a ‘Jamaica’ coalition possible? The Greens, the FDP, and the struggle to become Germany’s third political force

Although Angela Merkel’s CDU/CSU had a strong lead in opinion polls going into the German Federal Elections on the 24 September 2017, it was still far from clear what kind of coalition would take power after the election.

Julian Göpffarth assessed the campaigns run by two potential junior partners in the next coalition, the Greens and the liberal FDP, as well as the likelihood of a so called ‘Jamaica coalition’ between the CDU/CSU, Greens and FDP being formed.

• Primary Source

ESO: Key Source: German federal election, 2017 http://www.europeansources.info/record/german-federal-election-2017/

ESO: Background information: German Greens approve 'Jamaica' coalition in Schleswig-Holstein, June 2017 http://www.europeansources.info/record/german-greens-approve-jamaica-coalition-in-schleswig-holstein/

Social Europe, 27.09.17: Germany’s Grave New World https://www.socialeurope.eu/germanys-grave-new-world

ESO: Background information: German liberal chief targets conventional wisdom, June 2017 http://www.europeansources.info/record/german-liberal-chief-targets-conventional-wisdom/

Blog: LSE EuroppBlog, 13.10.17: What a Jamaica coalition could mean for Eurozone reform http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/europpblog/2017/10/13/what-a-jamaica-coalition-could-mean-for-eurozone-reform/

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