Coalition formation: Union goes to the Greens in the financial dispute

In the dispute over the billion -dollar financial package for infrastructure and defense, the Union approaches the Greens. At RTL/NTV, the parliamentary managing director Thorsten Frei (CDU) welcomed its proposal to expose the debt brake for defense expenditure only from 1.5 instead of 1.0 percent of gross domestic product. In addition, he showed himself open to share the package and only have the special fund for infrastructure with 500 billion euros adopted by the new Bundestag.

“I personally could imagine that,” said Frei. “However, it is not only the Union, but also the SPD must agree. And that’s why it should be very difficult at the point.” SPD general secretary Matthias Miersch promptly rejected the proposal. “Security and infrastructure – both belong together,” he said RTL/NTV.

Central question for the coalition talks

Union and the SPD had agreed on the financial package a week ago and thus achieved a decisive breakthrough in their exploratory talks about government formation. Union faction leader Friedrich Merz (CDU) made a U -turn when it comes to debt and said goodbye to a central campaign promise.

The package consists of two parts: for defense expenditure, the debt brake is to be relaxed in the Basic Law and the gigantic special fund is to be put on for investments in infrastructure. Union and SPD want to have both decided by the old Bundestag by March 25, in which they, together with the Greens, have the two-thirds majority necessary for constitutional changes. In the new Bundestag they need AfD (cooperation excluded) or left (cooperation extremely difficult).

Greens want division of the package

The Greens initially rejected the plans on Monday. They accuse the Union and SPD of wanting to finance their election promises with the package, such as the expansion of the mother’s pension and the reduction of taxes in the catering trade. They also doubt that the funds for infrastructure flow into additional projects instead of in projects that are already planned. The Greens are also snapped because the Union and the SPD initially agreed with each other and they are now facing accomplished facts.

Therefore, you have only written your own bill to secure defense spending. In addition to the 1.5 percent mark for the suspension of the debt brake, he provides that not only the Bundeswehr benefits from more money, but also, for example, cyber defense, the intelligence services or civil protection.

Free greens “good proposal”

The 1.5 percent mark freely called a “good suggestion that can be considered closer to”. He also pointed out that the special fund can also be used for energy infrastructure and thus for climate protection. “And that’s why, I think, this could be another point where we could approach.”

Greens party leader Felix Banaszak is still open to discussions. Union and the SPD negotiated the black and red coalition based on “that the Greens provide them with a lot of money at first,” he said RTL/NTV. “That’s why I’m looking forward to what we are now offered.” Another confidential round of negotiation should take place in the evening.

Start of the coalition negotiations for Thursday planned

Time is pushing. The first consultations are to take place in the Bundestag on Thursday. The start of the coalition negotiations is also planned for this start. If there is no agreement with the Greens, that would be a large mortgage for the conversations that the CSU would like to complete within ten days.