German Greens and CDU Rebuild Political Dialogue Through 'Pizza Connection'
German Green Party leaders have resumed regular meetings with conservative CDU politicians, including a recent visit by former CDU head Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer to a Greens parliamentary meeting in Leipzig. The two parties were fierce rivals during Germany's 2025 federal election campaign, with CDU chancellor Friedrich Merz dismissing the Greens as "crackpots." The renewed dialogue, known as the 'pizza connection,' signals a potential shift toward cross-party cooperation as the Greens move into opposition.
German Green Party co-leaders Franziska Brantner and Felix Banaszak have announced renewed dialogue with the conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU), reviving a tradition known as the 'pizza connection.' The term refers to informal meetings between the two parties dating back to the mid-1990s, when CDU and Green politicians met at an Italian restaurant in Bonn to explore common ground despite being political rivals. Current talks are occurring in Berlin with participants and locations kept secret. This development marks a significant shift from the 2025 federal election campaign, when the CDU and CSU declared the Greens as main rivals, with CDU chancellor Friedrich Merz making dismissive public statements. The Greens are now in opposition after their minority government with the Social Democrats collapsed. Both parties govern together in two German states, suggesting cooperation is possible at regional levels despite national tensions.
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- Deutsche WelleCenter
'Pizza connection' between German conservatives and Greens
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