Indiscretion has weighed heavily on the talks between the Union, FDP and the Greens. There is no record of who has chatted. For CDU boss Laschet, the piercing is ugly, for the FDP it may be helpful.
Perhaps one day it will be said that these were the moments that made the difference. And maybe at some point Armin Laschet will be able to look back on these moments with a serene mildness, when the time has created the necessary distance for them. No matter how it all turns out.
The outcome is still open, but the next steps are clearly defined: the Greens and FDP want to go into a first three-way discussion with the SPD after internal consultations. This was announced by the Green Party chairmen Annalena Baerbock and Robert Habeck and then FDP leader Christian Lindner on Tuesday. A traffic light alliance under the leadership of the SPD is therefore becoming more likely – and a Jamaica coalition, Laschet’s last chance at the Chancellery, is increasingly unrealistic.
Now the circumstances for a Jamaica alliance were never really favorable. The Union in general and Laschet as candidate for chancellor in particular had a modest claim to leadership as the losers in the election. Only genuine affection on the part of the Greens and the FDP would make the coalition possible – and that may have been gambled away through indiscretion.
Finding the leak
“It’s not nice” and “it’s annoying,” said Laschet in the past few days. Now the analysis would also aptly describe other circumstances to which the CDU party leader, who is already counted, is currently exposed – these would undoubtedly be included.
But Laschet, who is also fighting for his political survival, had another acute problem: a mole, possibly from his own ranks. That cannot be said for sure.
What is really resilient, however, is that piercings from the first explorations – both from those with the FDP and the Greens – have, well, weighed heavily on the talks. Both parties expressed their anger at the indiscretion.
Absolute confidentiality was agreed prior to the talks. A disaster like 2017 should not be repeated, at the time the Jamaica talks failed. Also because confidential information was regularly disclosed to the outside world. “Trust in one another is the most important capital of politics,” said FDP co-negotiator Marco Buschmann as a.
The fact that details from the first exploratory meetings made it to the public was therefore not only annoying to Laschet. No matter who pierced it, the leak is proof that someone broke confidentiality. Perhaps even more serious is where the leak is suspected.
Both politicians from the Greens and the FDP evidently located it in the Union. “Last weekend there were three exploratory talks in which I also took part for the FDP. From two of them you read nothing and hear nothing. From one of the alleged conversation contents are pierced to the media. That is noticeable, dear Union – and it’s annoying!” A day later, Greens federal manager Michael Kellner also said. He also chose the words: “That stands out, dear Union – and it’s annoying”. And thanked Vogel “for the template”.
It is not clear which party was chatting – but the Union is under suspicion. Why? One can only speculate about this as well. However, the suspicion expressed by the Greens and the FDP may also allow conclusions to be drawn about how the constitution of the sister parties could be assessed there.
Farewell, made easier?
CDU and CSU are currently not working together. A debate has recently broken out about the course and staff. A confusing situation that Laschet hardly has under control. Alone: In the own ranks there is already discussion about the time after him, so the impression – there are apparently “coup plans in the CDU”, as they reported. According to all that is known, Laschet is still CDU party leader with (albeit small) chances for the Chancellery.
Against this background, the question arises: Would it be opportune for the Greens and the FDP to promote a weakened party leader (and punished top candidates) to the Chancellery? After all, this should also be conveyed to one’s own voters as profitable.
In this respect, the chat, wherever it came from, could even have helped the FDP: The Liberals repeatedly emphasized that they favor a Jamaica alliance in view of the greater overlap with the Union. Even their own supporters: inside instead of the SPD. The FDP could now argue when saying goodbye to Jamaica that the basis of trust for such an alliance is missing – the liberals are not there as scapegoats, as was the case in 2017 when the exploratory talks ended.
What role did the indiscretions play in the decision of the Greens and the FDP? In addition, the party leaders largely covered themselves on Tuesday. “Of course, trust also means that not everything is in the newspaper afterwards,” said Greens co-boss Baerbock. “But we do not give postural marks, neither for ourselves nor for others.” FDP leader Lindner later replied: “We have taken note of them.”
David William is a talented author who has made a name for himself in the world of writing. He is a professional author who writes on a wide range of topics, from general interest to opinion news. David is currently working as a writer at 24 hours worlds where he brings his unique perspective and in-depth research to his articles, making them both informative and engaging.
