The chancellor explains his foreign and security policy to the Bundestag – and, as expected, is satisfied. The opposition, on the other hand, is taking the course of the traffic light apart. The main arguments are about asylum policy, how to deal with China and the new security strategy of the federal government.
The heads of state and government of the EU member states will meet in Brussels next week. The summit is a traditional occasion for the Federal Chancellor to make a government statement in advance. Against this background, Olaf Scholz’s speech focuses, as expected, on his federal government’s foreign and security policy. However, it is surprising that Germany’s head of government, after months of intense arguments in the traffic light, has not commented on domestic policy at all, especially about the heating law. The opposition finds enough points of criticism about the traffic light course, especially with regard to the national security strategy presented last week, the German-Chinese government consultations at the beginning of the week and the internal coalition dispute over Germany’s approval of the EU asylum compromise.
Scholz is particularly satisfied with the unity between the EU and NATO before the Council meeting on June 29th and 30th and the summit of the transatlantic defense alliance on July 11th and 12th in Vilnius. “This summit will send a strong signal of transatlantic cooperation and determination to stand up for our security,” announced Scholz. Germany’s relationship with the US government is “closer and more trusting than ever before”. Scholz appealed to the re-elected Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to finally clear the way for Sweden to join NATO.
Scholz defends asylum compromise
After there was sharp criticism of the planned reform of EU asylum policy in parts of the SPD parliamentary group, but even more so in the ranks of the Green coalition partner, Scholz does not ignore this disagreement. “This is a historic agreement because it shows that the EU can settle its differences even on the most controversial issues,” says the Chancellor, admitting: “I know that the agreement here in this House is not without controversy.” He promises: “We will ensure that this agreement gets even better until it is decided.” In any case, he will work with the European Council in Brussels to ensure that the asylum compromise, which the European Parliament must also agree to, is passed before the EU elections next spring.
After a turbulent small party conference at the weekend, Green Party leader Britta Hasselmann is very aware that there is sharp criticism in her party that families with children should not be exempted from the fast-track asylum procedure and that children could also be locked up in camps on the EU’s external borders . “We have a responsibility to ensure that improvements are made,” says Hasselmann. SPD MP Lars Castelucci calls on Scholz to support a Brussels-financed EU sea rescue mission in the Mediterranean. “We are shocked by the constant number of deaths, we must not become numb, we must not get used to it,” says Castelucci.
CSU regional group chief Alexander Dobrindt contradicts the representation of the traffic light representatives. He was surprised by Scholz’s classifications, “because the agreement did not come about because of, but in spite of, the German federal government”. Berlin was largely “isolated” in Brussels and is now threatening to soften the deal. “You are gambling away the trust of our European partners,” Dobrindt accuses the traffic light representatives.
Merz reprimands Scholz’ Kuschen before China
In his speech, Scholz also addressed the Chinese government’s visit to Berlin. “No country is another country’s backyard,” says Scholz. In Asia, too, nobody is allowed to change maps “by force or coercion” – “this also applies to Taiwan in particular.” And: “We are concerned about the human rights situation and the state of the rule of law in China,” said Scholz. “I also underlined this message the day before yesterday at the German-Chinese government consultations.” He also spoke very seriously with Beijing about peace in Ukraine. Russia must withdraw troops. “The mere freezing of the conflict does not bring peace.”
The contradiction comes from all directions. Union faction leader Friedrich Merz criticized the fact that no press questions were allowed at the request of the Chinese guests. “Your two predecessors, Gerhard Schröder and Angela Merkel, did not accept that and threatened to cancel the trip rather than accept such authoritarian behavior,” says the CDU leader. “You are retreating here in Berlin from such presumptuousness on the part of the Chinese government.”
SPD parliamentary group leader Rolf Mützenich defends the Chancellor, who is clearly speaking out towards China. “You can’t do that by conducting interviews. You can only do that by talking directly to those responsible,” says Mützenich. Left parliamentary group leader Dietmar Bartsch misses German support for the peace initiatives of other countries, most recently several African countries. “The position of ‘no negotiations until the last Russian has left’: with this position, the war threatens to last for decades,” Bartsch accuses the chancellor. Peace initiatives should not be taboo and should also be supported by the EU.
“That’s bizarre”
In his reply to Scholz, CDU leader Merz takes the chancellor’s praised national security strategy as the first of its kind met with a shared echo,” says Merz. The federal government left out both the federal states and France when it came to the development. In addition, China is not mentioned because the government cannot agree on a common China strategy.
Green politician Anton Hofreiter cannot understand Merz’s criticism, especially the dissatisfaction with the lack of implementation of the security strategy. “That’s bizarre, I don’t even know what world you live in,” says the chairman of the Europe Committee in the direction of Merz. It is normal for the strategy to be worked out first before it is implemented. The previous government had no strategy at all and ultimately made Germany dependent on Russian energy supplies.
AfD co-leader Alice Weidel also gives a speech about the fact that Germany is doomed under the traffic light. Weidel sums up her party’s demands as follows: “Bury the energy revolution, secure the energy supply, return to nuclear power, close borders, prevent social migration, of course finally deport those who are obliged to leave the country and criminals, lower taxes, reduce bureaucracy, limit government spending, end checkbook policy, throw out unqualified government officials, to strengthen Germany as a location instead of deliberately weakening it, back to normality.”