Tuesday, December 7th, 2021
Coalition agreement signed
Germany’s new federal government is in place
Germany has a new government: the SPD, Greens and FDP seal the program of their joint work. The top representatives of the traffic light parties around the designated Chancellor Scholz sign the coalition agreement.
Two and a half months after the general election, the SPD, Greens and FDP have sealed their joint government program. The top representatives of the traffic light parties signed their coalition agreement in Berlin. The SPD emerged as the winner of the election.
Tomorrow, Wednesday, Federal Chancellor-designate Olaf Scholz is to be elected Chancellor in the Bundestag and his cabinet will be sworn in. After 16 years, this ends the era of Angela Merkel, who did not run again in the election on September 26th.
Scholz said: “This should be a morning when we leave for a new government.” The fight against the Corona crisis will initially require the full strength of the new coalition. FDP leader Christian Lindner said: “Now is the time for action.” Green leader Annalena Baerbock spoke of a coalition agreement “at the height of reality, at the height of social reality”. Her party colleague Robert Habeck said the goal was “a government for the people of Germany”. He emphasized the challenge of bringing together climate neutrality and prosperity in the largest industrial nation in Europe and the fourth largest economy in the world.
In the morning, Scholz, Greens boss Robert Habeck and Lindner wanted to answer questions from the media at the federal press conference. Habeck is planned as Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection in the new federal government and will take on the duties of Vice Chancellor. Lindner takes over the office of finance minister.
After the SPD and FDP, the Greens had also approved the 177-page coalition agreement. It is entitled “Dare to make more progress”. To sign their coalition agreement, the three partners had chosen a symbolic location, the Berlin Futurium, a center for exhibitions on the subject of shaping the future.
In their weeks-negotiated contract, the traffic light parties promise, among other things, great efforts in terms of climate protection. The aim is to make industrial production in Germany climate-neutral. At the same time, improvements are planned for low-wage earners, tenants and families, for example.