“Nervousness always big”
Lindner rejects speculation about traffic lights being turned off
April 4, 2024, 7:14 p.m
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FDP leader Lindner doesn’t want to know anything about the federal traffic light coalition breaking up. Instead, he sees major tasks facing the government. In the event of possible new elections, the smallest traffic light partner is currently threatened with massive losses.
Federal Finance Minister and FDP leader Christian Lindner has countered speculation that the Liberals could pull out of the traffic light coalition. “In Berlin there is always a lot of nervousness. I recommend concentrating on the matter at hand,” Lindner told the “Handelsblatt”. The federal government must agree on a budget for the coming year and a concept to overcome the weak growth.
Lindner opposed ideas about a black-yellow coalition. “Many of the problems we have to solve are related to the previous CDU-led government,” he said. Germany has been losing competitiveness since 2014.
At the same time, the finance minister formulated clear expectations of his coalition partners: “We have to move away from consumer spending and redistribution and towards tax relief, investments, defense and education,” he said, referring to the budget. Lindner clearly rejected the demand from the SPD and the Greens to weaken the debt brake.
If the traffic light collapses and new elections are possible, Lindner’s FDP would risk leaving the Bundestag. According to the current RTL/ntv trend barometer, the party is at just four percent – in the 2021 federal election it was still at 11.5 percent.
Nuclear fusion instead of renunciation
Lindner also addressed the topic at a citizens’ dialogue in Essen. He emphasized the country’s role model role in the European Monetary Union. Germany must reduce the debt ratio from 64 percent below the threshold of 60 percent of economic output as quickly as possible. Without the debt brake, politicians could succumb to the temptation to make expensive promises, especially during election campaigns, warned Lindner.
However, he was also confronted with loud protests from members of the Last Generation. Several activists in the group first asked Lindner questions before unveiling protest banners and protesting against the FDP’s climate policy. The party leader emphasized that, in his view, broad waiver for climate protection could not be implemented. “I don’t think giving up billions is a political possibility,” said Lindner. Self-renunciation and asceticism are not a solution.
He announced that he would reform the climate protection law from the time of the grand coalition. Technological developments such as nuclear fusion could also contribute to solving the climate crisis. Finally, he let the people in the room vote on whether they wanted to continue discussing climate policy. The activists were escorted out of the hall. They then continued to demonstrate in front of the venue.