Brandenburg SPD and CDU Finalize New 'Red-Black' Coalition Agreement

The SPD and CDU finalized a coalition agreement in the German state of Brandenburg on March 14, 2026, forming a so-called "red-black" government after the SPD approved the deal at a party conference in Potsdam. Dietmar Woidke, who has served as Minister-President of Brandenburg since 2013, will continue in that role under the new arrangement. The SPD secured six ministries plus the State Chancellery, while the CDU will lead three ministries: Interior, Economy, and Education. The agreement marks a significant realignment of state politics following the collapse of the previous SPD-BSW coalition in January 2026. The new government represents the first formal cooperation between the SPD and CDU in Brandenburg under this configuration.

The incoming cabinet features several notable personnel shifts. Jan Redmann, who has served as CDU Brandenburg state chairman since 2023 and as the CDU's parliamentary group leader in the Brandenburg state parliament since 2019, is designated as the new Minister of the Interior. René Wilke, who has held the Interior Ministry portfolio since 2025, will move to lead a newly created ministry covering Labor, Social Affairs, Health, and Social Cohesion. Daniel Keller, currently serving as Minister for Economy, Labor, Energy and Climate Protection, will transition to the Finance Ministry. Robert Crumbach, who currently holds the position of Deputy Minister-President and Finance Minister in the outgoing Woidke cabinet, will take over the Infrastructure Ministry under the new coalition arrangement, running on the SPD ticket. The redistribution of portfolios reflects the negotiated balance between the two parties, with the SPD retaining the larger share of executive influence.

Brandenburg's post-reunification political landscape has been dominated by the SPD, which has governed the state continuously since 1990. The SPD-BSW coalition that collapsed in January 2026 had been formed after the September 2024 state election, in which the AfD finished as the largest party but was excluded from coalition talks by the other parties. Woidke has led the state government since 2013, making him one of Germany's longest-serving state leaders. The CDU's entry into government as a junior partner represents a shift from its previous role as the main opposition force in the Brandenburg state parliament.

On the same day, the AfD Brandenburg held its own party congress, at which René Springer was re-elected as state chairman. Springer, a member of the German Bundestag since the 2017 federal election, has led the AfD Brandenburg organization since 2024. According to reports from N-tv and Stern, the AfD signaled ambitions to take power in Brandenburg. The party's congress took place as the new SPD-CDU coalition was being formally confirmed, underscoring the AfD's position as the main opposition force in the state. Springer's re-election consolidates his leadership of the Brandenburg branch as the party positions itself ahead of future electoral contests.