Friedrich Merz: How the Chancellor gradually finds office

He has stamina, the Chancellor. There was already a lot of work behind Friedrich Merz when he was also through the television studios on Wednesday evening. Cabinet, Selenskyi visit, coalition committee. But the man who presented himself had probably had the best day in his new office. And you noticed that too. With an astonishing “your könnt-Mir-Gar-Nix-Attitue”, Merz worked with a considerable determination through his interviews. He had what was missed so often at Olaf Scholz: joy.

Governing has really started with the first draft law, the Ukraine agreed Merz considerable further help, and the tips of black and red met for four hours in demonstrative harmony. On this day, the Chancellor showed himself to be sure-footed as an interior and as a foreign politician, which was not always the case in the weeks before. And even if you do not approve of every of his projects, he conveys a certain torturst and even more enthusiasm than its predecessor. Friedrich Merz: A Chancellor grows into office.

Is that this policy change now?

Gemach, room. There is still a lot of announcement, claim, promise. Merz is far from being as good as he has always found. And not only the people have a remarkably high expectation to the government, but also this government, conversely, to their people. Usually it is the case in politics that, for example, you lower taxes, whereupon the mood increases. The black and red coalition rules for the time being in the reverse order: First you try to get a good atmosphere, then the taxes are reduced. Not in the first place should create a good mood, but your announcement. But that won’t be enough.

The coalition committee decided 62 points in five chapters. The result paper looks a bit, as if the coalition agreement was simply brought into a new order and freed from too much political poetry and other word waste. The plans now listen more specifically in some places and they are also – which can not always be said of the periods and specification levels. So when what really applies and the country and people benefit.

“Suddenly on a blow” should work now, says the Chancellor. His vice speaks of “right speed”, the CSU boss only of “pace, pace, pace”. By the middle of the year, “it is to be seen for everyone that Germany is going on,” the document says. And then how exactly can you recognize that? A few sovereign TV appearances by the Chancellor will not be enough.

The promise of the Union and the SPD sounds the clearest of helping the economy. Already in summer the first money is to flow from the special fund into the infrastructure, the companies should be able to write down their investments better. In other words, more excavators are supposed to drive and work new machines, as SPD boss Lars Klingbeil would say. This is a demanding project because it requires a valid household that Klingbeil as finance minister has to enforce – and of course sufficient excavator drivers.

Many other projects, especially the detoxification of bureaucratic approval procedures, are to be “on the way” by summer. This is a much softer wording. Because what exactly means “on the way”? Dispatch of the speaker commissioned in the ministry? Or already adopted the draft law in the cabinet? Or even brought law through parliament and signed by the Federal President, Zack, Zack?

Some paths of a law have proven to be quite long in the past and sometimes ended in nowhere. Anyone who has only experienced from afar how many decades, for example, has already been screwed around in the chapter two in the chapter-the procurement system of the Bundeswehr-and how many Minister of Defense and Minister of Defense has lived up with a political break, a certain remaining skepticism towards this simple-made optimism cannot be removed.

And then there are those parts in which benefits promise, but reforms are concealed. This applies to the pension scheme department. There is literally talk of the “start of a large pension reform”. Oha! And what does that mean again? This year, the pension level is to be fixed to 48 percent, the mother’s pension is completed and the new tax exemption for releases of pensioners will be decided. Costs all money. In addition, commuter flat rate, lower VAT for innkeepers and so on. By financing the pension system, however, there is no word in 62 points and also to the establishment of a commission agreed in the coalition agreement on this problem.

No, no, the coalitioners cannot be spoiled by the good mood. And Friedrich Merz at all. But that is certain: there will be bad days in the life of this chancellor. Let’s see how he appears.