Sunday 17th October 2021
Scholz talks about money
Lindner announces new climate ministry
A department that is specifically dedicated to climate protection is to be found. The Greens have been insisting on this for a long time. It should become a reality when it comes to a red-green-yellow alliance. At least that’s what FDP boss Lindner says. Has he already given some initial clues as to the possible distribution of the ministries?
According to FDP party leader Christian Linder, a traffic light coalition will set up a new ministry for climate protection. “There is a new climate ministry,” he said on ARD. Lindner did not say which competencies it should combine. In the exploratory paper of the parties, a cut of the ministries or their occupation is also not mentioned. Lindner mentioned the Climate Ministry in the same breath as the Chancellery and the Ministry of Finance, as well as pointing out that all parties would have to find themselves in the government.
It is certain that a climate ministry would be led by the Greens and that the Chancellery would be occupied by Social Democrat Olaf Scholz. The FDP is very interested in the Ministry of Finance. Lindner, as before the Green Party leader Robert Habeck, refused to talk about appointments to government offices.
There has been speculation about a climate ministry for a long time. In August, the Greens announced that they would create a climate protection ministry with a right of veto in the event of government participation. It should be able to prevent laws that are not compliant with the Paris climate agreement.
In addition to the classic climate protection tasks of the environment ministry, the new ministry could also combine areas of transport and the energy part of the ministry of economics. What was striking about the twelve-page exploratory paper was that it did not have a separate chapter for transport or energy.
To finance the new tasks, the low tax rate on diesel will not fall, Lindner said. The commuter flat rate will also remain. “These are subsidies that, if they were to be deleted, would have the character of a tax increase for the broader middle of society. We have not thought of that.” Instead, the over-subsidization of electric cars should be cut, including for high-income earners who have a company car. Such great products from the German auto industry do not need such subsidies, said Lindner. In addition, state-owned investment companies could be created, for example, to set up charging stations with which one could also generate income.
Scholz takes on the “decade of investments”
SPD Chancellor candidate Scholz meanwhile rejected the accusation that no answer to the question of the financing of the plans had been provided during the traffic light explorations. It is about a great departure, the modernization of the country, said Scholz in the ZDF program “Berlin direkt”. A significant part of this is about enabling private sector investments.
But it is also clear that additional funds must be made available for public investments. “So it’s about combining things correctly,” emphasized Scholz. “What we have set ourselves is to operate very solidly and at the same time to bring about a decade of investments in Germany, both privately and publicly.” Regarding proposals to set up public investment companies, Scholz pointed out that there have long been public institutions that have been investing. 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.”
FDP decides on coalition talks
As the last of the three traffic light parties, the FDP will advise on starting coalition negotiations on Monday. The party committees should clear the way for talks about a government with the SPD and the Greens. The traffic light explorers had presented a joint result paper on Friday, which should serve as a basis. The SPD executive committee already agreed on Friday, the Greens spoke out in favor of it at a small party congress that Sunday.
FDP boss Lindner strongly promoted a traffic light alliance at the weekend. The exploratory paper contained many of the FDP’s concerns. These ranged “from solid finances to investments in clean technologies and digitization, better education and new opportunities for advancement to social liberality,” said Lindner.