The traffic light partners cross paths on several key issues. After sharp criticism from Vice-Chancellor Habeck, efforts are being made to calm things down.
Before the top meeting of the traffic light coalition, Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock called for a willingness to compromise in view of various deadlocked disputes. The people in Germany “expect that you don’t constantly argue, but that you solve the problems together,” said the Green politician on Thursday during a visit to North Macedonia. SPD leader Lars Klingbeil had previously made a similar statement. “These public disputes have to stop now,” he told the “Rheinische Post” (Thursday) and the ARD capital studio.
For weeks there have been heated debates in the coalition about issues such as freeway expansion, the replacement of oil and gas heating systems and the budget for the coming year. On Sunday evening, the heads of the traffic light parties will meet with Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) in the Chancellery. The pressure to deliver results afterwards and to settle at least some of the disputes is great.
quarrel over finances
But especially when it comes to financial policy, the SPD, Greens and FDP seem to be far apart. “We don’t have a common basic understanding in the federal government as far as the financial reality is concerned,” said FDP Secretary General Bijan Djir-Sarai of the German Press Agency. “It is clear that some see the FDP and especially Federal Finance Minister Christian Lindner as a spoilsport here.”
The FDP boss had postponed the presentation of his budget plans because the ministers had billions in spending requests for which he saw no leeway. Lindner insists that the debt brake is observed and no taxes are increased. He had made it clear that his colleagues would therefore have to make savings proposals.
As Minister of Finance, Lindner has a responsibility for the budget course, emphasized Djir-Sarai. Excessive debt weakened the government’s ability to act. “Politicians obviously have to learn that the state has to make do with the resources it has at its disposal,” said the FDP general secretary.
Wissing wants to struggle for solutions
Transport Minister Volker Wissing (FDP) stressed the need to struggle for solutions before the coalition committee. It must be possible for different political positions to be articulated in a government, he said in the ZDF “heute-journal”. “We need to struggle for the best solution and not to subordinate better ideas.”
Economics Minister Robert Habeck (Greens) recently expressed dissatisfaction with the state of the coalition and accused the SPD and FDP of preventing progress.
The General Secretaries of the SPD and FDP rejected the Vice Chancellor’s criticism on Wednesday. “Mr. Habeck’s perception that the Greens are responsible for progress in the traffic light coalition and that the other parties would prevent this does not correspond to reality,” Djir-Sarai told the “Spiegel”. SPD General Secretary Kevin Kühnert confirmed that Habeck was currently under pressure. “But I think you shouldn’t deal with the pressure in such a way that you just grab in all directions because of it,” he told the ARD capital studio.
Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) emphasized on Thursday that the coalition is creating important reforms despite everything. The traffic lights are modernizing the country in all areas, he said on RTL/ntv “Frühstart”. “The fact that there are jitters and arguments at the moment doesn’t distract me from the fact that it is actually what it has always been from the start: a progressive coalition.” He is good at work with all his cabinet colleagues and some are friends. “We are making major reforms, the Chancellor is keeping it together well,” said Lauterbach.
Source: Stern
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