The future of the coalition is being decided these days: Will the traffic light coalition create a budget for 2025? Everyone is pulling and tugging at the finance minister. A look back shows how his predecessors solved this problem.
The man they called the “Savings Minator” is a friendly older gentleman. Hans Eichel, 82, looks fit. He is sitting in a street café in his hometown of Kassel and tells how he once, as “Iron Hans,” cut the spending plans of his colleagues from the SPD and the Greens.
He and Labor Minister Walter Riester worked together in a friendly manner, and discussions never lasted more than a quarter of an hour. Eichel does not name the difficult cases, as he is still loyal to them even after 25 years. But others who were there know that it was always difficult with Rudolf Scharping. And because of Ulla Schmidt’s stubbornness, Eichel once even wanted to resign.
Source: Stern
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
