Traffic light dispute: Merz emphasizes similarities with Lindner’s economic ideas

CDU leader Friedrich Merz sees considerable overlap between the economic policy ideas of the FDP and the Union. The latest policy paper from FDP leader Christian Lindner contains suggestions, some of which were taken verbatim from proposals that the Union parliamentary group had submitted to the Bundestag in the past two years, writes the Union’s candidate for chancellor in his email newsletter “MerzMail”. .

“We may discuss the details, but the proposals go in the right direction. Overall, they are aimed at strengthening the competitiveness of our economy and are therefore essentially and appropriately supply-oriented economic policy,” said Merz. To save companies and jobs, more must be done than continuing and deepening a dispute in the German government about the right course of economic policy.

In the policy paper, the FDP leader calls for an “economic turnaround” with a “partial fundamental revision of key political decisions” in order to avert damage to Germany as a business location. Specifically, there is talk of an immediate moratorium to stop all new regulations. It goes on to say that, as an immediate measure, the solidarity surcharge should be abolished for everyone and that national climate targets must be replaced by European ones.

Union praises the FDP leader’s “courageous paper”.

The paper caused considerable anger among the coalition partners SPD and Greens. However, applause comes from the opposition. “The finance minister has presented a courageous paper that ruthlessly analyzes the disastrous situation in our economy and basically gives the right supply policy answers,” said the parliamentary managing director of the Union faction, Thorsten Frei (CDU), to the German Press Agency.

However, Lindner’s proposals are “the complete opposite of what the traffic light has been doing for three years” and cannot be reconciled with the “debt-financed sovereign wealth fund ideas” of Federal Economics Minister Robert Habeck (Greens), said Frei. Rather, Lindner’s paper, which has now become known, is a “declaration of war on the Greens.”

Klingbeil on speculation about a break in the coalition: That’s annoying

Green parliamentary group leader Katharina Dröge accused the traffic light partners of a lack of team spirit on Saturday, but nevertheless made it clear that the Greens wanted to stick to the coalition. Regarding speculation about an early end to the traffic light coalition, she said: “I think we have a responsibility. If you are given the task by the voters to form a government, then you should do that for four years.”

SPD chairman Lars Klingbeil made a similar statement. “I notice that political Berlin is particularly nervous these days and there is a lot of speculation about what will happen next,” he told the “Augsburger Allgemeine”. “But that’s exactly what annoys people in this country. Me too, by the way.”

Many people are worried about the economic situation or even see their jobs at risk. “And they want to see a government that doesn’t focus on itself every day, but that does everything it can to save these jobs,” emphasized Klingbeil. “I agree more with my FDP colleague Volker Wissing: Governing is not easy, but we have a responsibility to ensure that it succeeds.”

Gerhard Baum: The FDP’s exit from traffic lights would be political suicide

In a guest article for the “Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung” on Friday, Federal Transport Minister Wissing spoke out in favor of his party remaining in the coalition and recalled the responsibility of the government alliance. Shortly afterwards, Lindner’s policy paper became known.

Klingbeil said suggestions are always welcome. “If they can help strengthen our economy and secure jobs, we’ll talk about it.” However, some of the FDP positions contained in the paper are known and contradict social democratic positions. “For example, giving more to the rich, letting employees work longer and sending them into retirement later,” said Klingbeil. “It won’t surprise anyone that we think this is the wrong path.”

Criticism of considerations to end the traffic light coalition is also being voiced within the FDP. “The global political situation with crises and wars is very dangerous. In this situation, Germany needs a federal government that is capable of acting and not an election campaign,” said former Federal Interior Minister Gerhart Baum (FDP) to the “Tagesspiegel”. “If the FDP leaves the traffic lights now, it would be political suicide for fear of death.”