The Art & Practice of Political Negotiation
On Tuesday 30th January 2024, the Friedrich-Ebert Stiftung UK Office and Compass hosted a roundtable discussion titled “The Art and Practice of Political Negotiation”.
The event provided a comprehensive platform for discourse between British and German politicians and experts on what negotiation is, how it is practiced and why it matters. Participants shared their opinions on and experiences of pre- and post-election negotiation in their respective countries, offering valuable insight and ideas in the run-up to the 2024 UK elections.
We heard from former SPD co-leader Norbert Walter-Borjans, chair of the SPD Bavaria Ronja Endres and Berlin Juso and teacher, Heike Hoffmann.
The UK and Germany have different political cultures. In Germany, party co-operation is necessitated by the electoral system, with coalitions often formed at the local council, state and federal levels. The UK’s first-past-the-post system for council and Westminster elections means that coalitions are a rarer outcome of elections, though not uncommon. Additionally, devolved parliaments and some local authorities have adopted representative electoral systems, leading to coalitions.
This discussion contributed to an ongoing conversation about the necessary steps for a more democratically accountable and pluralistic form of governance.
