Three weeks after the federal election, the SPD, Greens and Liberals are preparing for coalition negotiations. As the last of the three parties, the FDP wants to decide on the start of coalition talks for a new German government this Monday. Party leader Christian Lindner (42) firmly expects approval – and the formation of the first traffic light coalition at the federal level. “Failure is not an option here,” said Lindner on Sunday evening on ZDF. «We need a stable government in Germany. It should also be formed quickly. “
If the top bodies of the FDP agree, the way is free for coalition negotiations. After the SPD board had voted unanimously for formal talks on a traffic light coalition on Friday, a small party congress of the Greens also agreed on Sunday with two no votes and one abstention. Negotiations could start in a few days.
Lindner expressed the expectation that a ministry will be created in the new federal government that will be responsible for climate protection. “But this is not an existing appointment,” he emphasized on ZDF. He had previously said on ARD: “There is the Federal Chancellery, there is the Finance Ministry, there is a new Climate Ministry. And I am of the opinion that each of the partners must have the opportunity to work creatively. “
Grünen-Habeck annoyed
With this, the FDP leader again signaled his interest in the Ministry of Finance. Several party friends such as Wolfgang Kubicki (69) and Marco Buschmann (44) had previously openly advertised Lindner as finance minister. The issue of climate protection is a core issue for the Greens; In the case of a traffic light coalition, the SPD chancellor candidate Olaf Scholz (63), who previously headed the finance department, will move into the Chancellery.
At “Bild TV” Lindner explained that it is not the strength of the parliamentary groups of the Greens and Liberals that decides who will appoint the next finance minister. “It is also not the case that it simply depends on what percentage points have been achieved,” he said when asked. In a traffic light coalition, the Liberals would make up the smallest parliamentary group.
Personnel speculation met with anger among the Greens. Party leader Robert Habeck (52) described them as “not helpful”. “It is part of fairness, good manners and also political wisdom not to do that now. In case of doubt, you only increase your own height, ”he said on ARD. The Greens and the FDP have very different ideas about financial policy. “The confidence that it will then happen as agreed has yet to be proven, also in the coalition talks.”
Minimum wage, climate protection, debt brake
Baden-Württemberg’s finance minister Danyal Bayaz (38, Greens) had previously advertised Habeck as federal finance minister. He could not imagine anyone better in this position, he wrote on Twitter. The Deputy Greens chairman Ricarda Lang (27) pleaded in the “image” that her party should take over the Ministry of Finance because it plays a central role in decisions about future investments. “I think it would make sense if we as Greens in this ministry form the future,” she said.
On Friday the negotiators of the parties ended their explorations and presented a result paper. Thereafter, there should be no tax increases and the debt brake should be adhered to. The statutory minimum wage is to rise to 12 euros per hour. In terms of climate protection, accelerated expansion of renewable energies and an exit from coal are planned, ideally by 2030, among other things.
Scholz and Lindner rejected the accusation that the potential government partners had not clarified the financial viability of their projects. It is about a great departure, the modernization of the country, said Scholz on ZDF. A significant part of this is about enabling private sector investments.
Search for capital
But it is also clear that “additional funds with public investments” must be made available. “So it’s about combining things correctly,” emphasized Scholz. Regarding proposals to set up public investment companies, he pointed out that something like this had long since existed. He cited Deutsche Bahn and KfW as examples. “In this respect, this is only a description of a principle that already exists and that must be included in the scope of the options for action.”
Linder specified on ZDF: “We also want to activate private capital by using our public development bank to secure private investments publicly. You don’t need a euro higher in debt, not a euro higher in taxes, but that is just an entrepreneurial action by the state to make things possible. ” (SDA)