FDP planned the end of the traffic light coalition meticulously – strategy paper surfaced

The FDP leadership has apparently gone through a possible exit from the traffic light coalition in detail. This shows a. The document – ​​obviously a Powerpoint presentation – is titled “D-Day Process Scenarios and Measures”. Excerpts from it were initially published by the “Table.Briefings” portal. The FDP then published the entire document in order to prevent “false impressions about the character of the paper,” as the Free Democrats said in a statement. FDP General Secretary Bijan Djir-Sarai had previously confirmed the existence of the paper to the portal.

For example, it says that the “ideal time” and an “intended exit” from the coalition could be between November 4th and 10th in the middle of the 45th calendar week. On November 6th, the alliance actually broke – but when Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) dismissed FDP leader Christian Lindner as finance minister at a meeting of the coalition committee.

The paper had previously weighed up the following: The “announced exit” at this point in time entailed risks due to the US presidential election taking place at the same time. In order to “decouple a little” from this, an exit could take place at the beginning of the 45th calendar week on November 4th. In the event of a postponement, other obstacles are cited: the budget committee’s adjustment meeting, the planned Green party conference and a separate party conference that would have to be prepared and invited to.

A “core narrative” is also recorded – i.e. a main message with which the exit could be linked. Fundamental differences in economic policy between red-green and the FDP cannot be bridged through compromises. The federal government itself has become the biggest location risk. “The German population should decide in early elections which path Germany will take in the future,” it continues. A prepared statement from Lindner is also included and scenarios as to when, where and through which channels the traffic light break could best be announced.

The phrase D-Day appears several times in the paper. It is best known in connection with the Second World War – on June 6, 1944, “D-Day”, the Allied landings in Normandy began to liberate Europe from National Socialism. The FDP had previously denied its use. “That is not true. This term has not been used,” said Secretary General Bijan Djir-Sarai on November 18, referring to media reports at the time. The FDP paper also lists a final phase called “open field battle” in a D-Day “process pyramid”.

The FDP describes the document as a “working paper”, which was drawn up for the first time by the party’s federal manager on October 24th, and has now been published in the latest version on November 5th. “This technical paper was not the subject of political advice from elected officials and members of the government, but rather a purely internal preparation for the scenario of the FDP leaving the traffic light coalition,” it says.

“We have nothing to hide,” wrote the FDP in an entry on decisions could be.” He spoke of a scandalization of the preparation for scenarios. “If the entire German media landscape was already speculating about the end of the traffic lights at this point, then it is only professional to prepare for this option.”

After the traffic light went out, the first reports had already sparked discussions about the causes and reasons behind the coalition break. “Zeit” and “Süddeutsche Zeitung” reported that in several meetings of the closest FDP leadership since the end of September, scenarios for an end to the coalition had been played out – there was talk of a “script”.

SPD leader Lars Klingbeil criticized the paper that has now been published on Platform ” SPD General Secretary Matthias Miersch demanded an apology from party leader Christian Lindner. “Such irresponsible actions destroy citizens’ trust in democratic institutions,” he told the “Editorial Network Germany” (RND).

Green party leader Britta Haßelmann wrote that one could only shake one’s head at “this martial talk of open battles and D-Day” from the FDP. “Who wants to hear that, such stupid behavior,” she added.

A battle is already raging, especially between the SPD and FDP, over the authority to interpret the extent to which the rift was provoked by one side. Lindner spoke of a “dismissal staging” by the Chancellor. Scholz made it clear that he might have had to make the decision to fire Lindner earlier. “It’s no secret that I’ve thought about this before, when in the summer, despite the many hours we spent together, we simply couldn’t agree on the federal budget for 2025,” he told the “Süddeutsche”. newspaper” in mid-November.

Note: This post has been updated.