Munich/Nuremberg (dpa/lby) - The Bavarian Prime Minister and CSU leader Markus Söder has rejected a coalition with the Greens in the Free State. "Black and green is not an option for Bavaria, because the Greens in Bavaria only think in northern Germany," said Söder in an interview with the "Nürnberger Zeitung" and "Nürnberger Nachrichten" (Saturday edition).
A new state parliament will be elected in the Free State next autumn. The CSU chairman said: "The Greens here have no interest whatsoever in standing up for Bavarian or Franconian interests. Instead, they follow the guidelines of the federal party and are Berlin chain stores."
Söder emphasized: "However, we need a state government that is committed to all Bavarians. We do it with great passion."
The CSU currently governs the Free State in a coalition with the Free Voters. After the CSU, the Greens are the second largest faction and thus the strongest opposition party.
