Markus Lanz: Green politician: “Merz lied to power”

Markus Lanz ‘broadcast is top -class on Tuesday evening. For example, the business professor Rüdiger Bachmann is sitting in the studio. Or the defense expert Carlo Masala. A good duo to discuss the historical financial package on the SPD and Union.

As a reminder: According to the will by the Union and SPD, the debt brake is to be relaxed for defense spending. The two parties have also agreed on a special fund for the repair of the infrastructure – a total of 500 billion euros. The resolutions should still be made by the old Bundestag. However, the future, possible coalition of the Union and SPD does not have the required two-thirds majority for a change in the Basic Law. You therefore need votes from Greens or FDP.

Markus Lanz has a problem: he has the green Anton Hofreiter in the studio, but no one from the Union or the SPD. The politician Jan van Aken (Die Linke) and journalists Sabine Rennefanz and Elmar Theveßen are still joining court leaders.

The “Spiegel” editor Rennefanz criticizes that the old Bundestag should still vote on the measures: “People have chosen, and now something is quickly boxed through with another parliament.” She also asks two rhetorical questions in the room: “Why did we choose? Would we have been able to save ourselves?” Running also reminds of the negative attitude of the Union parties before the election to accept additional debts. Before the election, it was postulated very differently, says the journalist.

The economic professor Rüdiger Bachmann is less critical. He thinks the future coalition partners have “done it well”. At least that makes sense economically, because the defense industry needs long -term announcements. This helps decisions that come early and apply for more than just a few years.

The decisions are also clever overall, because Germany is faced with a shrinking auto industry. However, it could now also produce other goods that can also be used militarily. Drone, for example. Overall, it is a growth program. “Economically well designed,” according to the professor’s conclusion. However: “That the democratic theory was a dirty number – probably.”

Then it is Anton Hofreiter’s turn. The green politician is known for pithy statements. And he doesn’t disappoint either on Tuesday evening: “Mr. Merz lied to power.” Markus Lanz interrupts him: “Hard sentence!” So that no one misses him, he repeats the sentence.

Hofreiter now seems upset: “It was clear from the start. Who could only count a little … if [Merz] comes to power, then will [die Ablehnung der Schuldenbremse] It is no longer durable. “The politician is reminiscent of a statement by the CDU Secretary General, Carsten Linnemann. He was in the studio with Markus Lanz last week.” That was laughable, “says Hofreiter.” It is not true, it is not true. “But what does he think?

Die-hard Markus Lanz-Schauer will remember: Linnemann had announced that he would fight for the debt brake to remain: “Experience shows that if the debts can be made, there is no longer any hold. Politicians always have ideas on how to spend the money,” said Linnemann a few days ago.

Markus Lanz tries to protect the CDU general secretary a little and thinks he was “good will”. Hofreiter only says: “No, he was not good will. Mr. Linnemann is not that stupid either.” General amusement in the studio.

But how will the Greens vote? Hofreiter recalls that the SPD and Union need a two-thirds majority, but do not have any. The Greens would have to agree, among other things. So far, however, one has only seen a press release. One thing is clear: “We will have to negotiate.”

In principle, the Green Party is convinced that money must be made available. But one wants to ensure that the decisions do not fail in the end of the Federal Constitutional Court. You also want a fundamental reform of the debt brake. You need more flexibility and expenses for satellites and cyber defense, for example: “We will need tons of billions,” explains Hofreiter. Also to protect hospitals and power plants from attacks. “We have to talk about all of this, otherwise we jumped too short again.”

At the end of his speech, Anton Hofreiter then remembered a few core topics of the Greens: Transformation and Climate: “It doesn’t just go away.” One of the sentences about which the round at Markus Lanz does not have to argue.