RTL/ntv trend barometer
More than a third expect the traffic light coalition to break
November 21, 2023, 3:43 p.m
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The decision of the Federal Constitutional Court last week ensures that 60 billion euros are missing for climate protection. Is the government falling apart over this emergency? More than a third of Germans expect the traffic light coalition to end early.
Last week, the Federal Constitutional Court caused a domestic political sensation by declaring the federal government’s 2021 supplementary budget unconstitutional. After this decision, fixed loans of 60 billion euros may no longer be accessed. The verdict is poisonous for the mood within the traffic light coalition, which had only just managed to recover somewhat after a lot of quarreling over the Building Energy Act in the first half of the year.
The Greens now fear for climate protection projects because the 60 billion would have to be raised elsewhere and the FDP will hardly be available for many options that could be considered – such as tax increases for high income groups or a weakening of the debt brake. Is the traffic light in danger of breaking due to another dispute over direction?
No, is the assessment of 58 percent of Germans in the RTL/ntv trend barometer. They currently believe that the coalition of SPD, Greens and FDP will last until the end of the legislative period in 2025. But more than a third (37 percent) see the end of the traffic light approaching and expect the governing coalition to break up before then. The proportion of those who believe that the traffic lights will continue to exist is currently lower than in July after the start of the parliamentary recess, but similar to the first half of the year.
Among the supporters of the government parties, it is primarily the supporters of the SPD (76 percent) and the Greens (80 percent), but less often the FDP supporters (66 percent) that the coalition will continue to exist until the end of 2025. The majority of supporters of the Union parties also expect this (58 percent). Only the majority of AfD supporters expect the traffic light to fail prematurely.
44 percent say: Cut somewhere else!
60 billion, which had been earmarked for climate protection, will not be available. With the so-called Climate Transformation Fund (KTF), the traffic light wanted, among other things, to reduce electricity costs, promote the renovation of buildings, advance renewable energy and other climate projects and also socially balance climate protection. The climate money should primarily cushion the burden on socially disadvantaged people. And now?
When asked what the federal government should do now, 44 percent of German citizens advocate raising the missing 60 billion euros through cuts in other areas of the federal budget. 38 percent are of the opinion that the federal government should largely forego the planned projects that should be financed with the KTF money. 18 percent are not confident about how to proceed given this situation.
The majority of people with a monthly net household income of over 4,000 euros, as well as supporters of the SPD and the Greens, are in favor of financing the planned Energy and Climate Fund projects through cuts in other areas. Low-income earners and AfD supporters are particularly in favor of foregoing the implementation of the energy and climate fund’s planned projects.