Traffic light crisis: Scholz speaks with Lindner in the Chancellery

Before his talks with Economics Minister Robert Habeck (Greens) and Finance Minister Christian Lindner (FDP) on the traffic light crisis, Chancellor Olaf Scholz met with Lindner in the Chancellery in the evening. According to dpa information, the conversation was planned for a long time. Scholz had previously met the SPD leadership.

The Chancellor wants to hold several three-way talks with Habeck and Lindner in the next few days, the first of which is scheduled to take place on Monday. On Wednesday evening, the coalition committee, which also includes the party and parliamentary group leaders, meets in the Chancellery.

The focus will be on the two central questions for the continued existence of the coalition: How can the billion-dollar hole in the federal budget be plugged until the crucial adjustment meeting of the Bundestag Budget Committee on November 14th? And what strategy can be agreed upon to combat the economic crisis in Germany?

Habeck and Lindner have presented concepts for this. Scholz is currently drafting a “pact for industry” with representatives from business and unions. Both questions are seen as possible breaking points in the coalition. The meeting of the coalition committee, which includes almost 20 representatives of the coalition parties, was scheduled many weeks ago. It is the first such meeting since the parliamentary summer break.