Traffic light off: Merz to Scholz: Immediate question of trust, otherwise nothing will work

The traffic light has failed, a new election is coming up in Germany – but when? If the opposition, the German economy and the European partners have their way, a new Bundestag will be elected as quickly as possible and ideally in January. Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD), on the other hand, has different ideas about the timing: He wants to ask the Bundestag for a vote of confidence on January 15th and thus bring about an early election at the end of March. Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier has a key role in this journey and says: “I am ready to make this decision.”

Union: Merz conversation with Scholz about cooperation without result

It is known that the relationship between Chancellor Scholz and Friedrich Merz, the Union’s candidate for chancellor, is tense. Nevertheless, Scholz offered the CDU/CSU cooperation immediately after Finance Minister Christian Lindner (FDP) was kicked out of the government.

According to information from the Union faction, a conversation between Merz and Scholz that lasted about an hour was unsuccessful. Merz made it clear that the Union was ready to talk about agenda items or laws in the Bundestag. But first the Chancellor must ask the vote of confidence by the beginning of next week at the latest. Merz then believes an election date in the second half of January is possible.

Scholz: Do what is necessary for the country

But Scholz is sticking to his schedule. The SPD politician said he would do what was necessary for the country. “Citizens will soon have the opportunity to decide again how things should proceed.” Cooperation with the Union is about solutions to strengthen the economy and defense – about questions “that are crucial for our country to work together constructively: to quickly strengthen our economy and our defense.”

Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck (Greens) would welcome cooperation with the Union. “I would be happy about it and of course I am always ready to find the way to do this,” said Habeck.

Steinmeier calls on political actors to be sensible

After the traffic light coalition broke up, the Federal President spoke to the conscience of the actors. “It is not the time for tactics and skirmishes,” he said, also with a view to the election of Donald Trump as the next President of the USA. “It is the time for reason and responsibility.”

As Federal President, he will have to decide on the dissolution of the Bundestag. “But our country needs stable majorities and a government capable of acting. That will be my test,” said Steinmeier.

If the Chancellor asks for a vote of confidence and does not get a majority, he will ask the Federal President to dissolve the Bundestag. According to Article 68 of the Basic Law, the President has a maximum of 21 days to do this. However, he is not obliged to do so. If he does, an election must be made within 60 days.

Probably difficult to form a government after new elections

In the event of a new election, forming a government will not be easy. The Union could currently expect to become the strongest force – but who would be considered as a coalition partner is unclear. In surveys that were conducted before the traffic lights were broken, the CDU/CSU parties were recently clearly ahead with values ​​of over 30 percent.

The traffic light parties are significantly weaker than in the 2021 federal election. The SPD was at around 15 percent and behind the AfD at around 18 percent, the Greens at ten percent. The FDP had to worry about returning to the Bundestag. CSU boss Markus Söder has repeatedly categorically excluded black and green.

Economy: Every day with the government is a day wasted

Business representatives are also pushing for a quick new election. “Every additional day with this federal government is a lost day,” said the President of the BGA foreign trade association, Dirk Jandura. The Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA), the Association of the Chemical Industry (VCI) and the Association of the Electrical and Digital Industry (ZVEI) also called for a quick new election.

EU heads of government for quick elections in Germany

The Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo is hoping for a quick new election in Germany. A strong German government is needed in Europe, said Orpo on the sidelines of a summit of the European Political Community (EPG) in the Hungarian capital Budapest. Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo, his Swedish colleague Ulf Kristersson and Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen agreed.

Scholz originally wanted to take part in the EPG summit. Because of the domestic political situation, he didn’t want to travel until the evening. A meeting of the heads of state and government of the EU states will then begin there. The European Political Community also includes countries such as Ukraine, Great Britain and Turkey.

Steinmeier dismisses three FDP ministers

Steinmeier presented the discharge certificates to Finance Minister Lindner as well as Justice Minister Marco Buschmann and Education Minister Bettina Stark-Watzinger from the FDP at Bellevue Palace.

At the same time, Scholz’s economic policy advisor, Jörg Kukies (SPD), received his certificate of appointment as Federal Finance Minister. Federal Transport Minister Volker Wissing is the only FDP politician to remain in the cabinet, but he has resigned from the FDP. Steinmeier appointed him the new Federal Minister of Justice. He retains his position as transport minister. The Ministry of Education also takes over Agriculture Minister Cem Özdemir (Greens).

Return of red-green after 19 years

After the Chancellor’s break with the FDP, there will be a red-green government again for the first time since 2005. The break in the first coalition of the SPD, Greens and FDP at the federal level came after a bitter dispute over the course of economic and budget policy. During the negotiations, Scholz called for the debt brake to be suspended again.

In view of the impasse, Lindner suggested to the coalition committee that a new election should be held together. During a break in the meeting, the proposal ended up in public, whereupon Scholz asked the Federal President to dismiss his finance minister.