Traffic light dispute at Maischberger
“I don’t want to be bothered with your phrases”
By Marko Schlichting
April 23, 2024, 4:22 a.m
Shortly before its party conference at the weekend, the FDP presented a position paper. A heated argument broke out in the traffic light coalition about this. On Monday evening, two traffic light politicians discussed it on the ARD talk show “Maischberger”.
The traffic light coalition is arguing again. Not a big surprise at first. This time it’s about a position paper that the FDP presented shortly before its party conference, which will take place next weekend. In its recommendation for the party conference, the FDP is calling for the end of the zero-deduction pension at 63 and stricter sanctions for recipients of citizens’ benefits who refuse to accept reasonable jobs. She wants to immediately cut their citizens’ allowance by 30 percent. Currently, a staggered reduction applies. In individual cases, the Liberals are calling for the complete abolition of citizens’ money. The FDP is also in favor of phasing out support for renewable energies. She wants to reduce the EEG levy and gradually abolish it. The expansion of renewable energy is co-financed via the EEG levy.
The Social Democrats are annoyed by the demands. In an interview with the dpa, SPD parliamentary group leader Rolf Mützenich calls it a “leftover from the mothballs.” In the ARD talk show “Maischberger”, FDP deputy Wolfgang Kubicki and the federal spokeswoman for the Green Youth, Svenja Appuhn, argue about the liberal position paper. Appuhn also rejects the FDP’s demands and has a lively discussion with Kubicki, in which she also criticizes the Green Economics Minister Robert Habeck.
Criticism of traffic lights
Of course, the question arises as to whether the traffic light coalition will last until autumn 2025. Kubicki doesn’t seem so sure. He has already brought up a possible red-green minority government. He rejects the fear that this could give the AfD more power. “The Union and the FDP will not agree to vote with the AfD,” he says. A rogue who thinks about the formation of a government after the last state election in Thuringia.
But Appuhn doesn’t see the traffic light coalition as set in stone either. “The question is whether the government will still manage to solve the big problems.” The government wanted to achieve progress without spending money. “Now there are budget negotiations. I believe that if you can address all the big questions, the problems like the crumbling infrastructure, the injustice, if you can find answers to them now, then perhaps you can move forward. But if what Christian Lindner has this in mind, I frankly have no imagination as to how this should continue.”
The paper was not written to blow up the traffic light, explains Kubicki. One thing is clear: the economy is doing badly. “In which your finance minister plays a large part,” Appuhn interjects. “I don’t want to be bothered with your phrases here,” Kubicki retorts surprisingly violently. There is a coalition agreement that everyone adheres to. “Now you can say you don’t like it, then we have to renegotiate it. But you can’t say that because you keep making great demands, the finance minister has to…”
Here Appuhn interrupts: “It’s not that I have great demands, but that the rest of the world is making fun of Germany because we are sticking to a debt rule that is not economically justifiable at all.” Kubicki: “That is simply an assertion that is false.”
Appuhn is prepared to testify. She refers to the IMF, the scientific advisory board of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and the “Economist”, which have criticized the debt brake. The Greens are calling for their reform. Appuhn wants to achieve the necessary majority by the FDP giving up its blockade stance. But Kubicki knows it won’t work that way. To reform the debt brake, a change to the Basic Law is required, and this requires a two-thirds majority, he rebukes the Green politician. She counters and points to the possibility of a Federal Council initiative, which the federal states are ready for.
Criticism of the FDP paper
But back to the FDP paper, which Appuhn fundamentally criticizes: The FDP wants to get the economy going because it wants to reduce corporate taxes a little. The party believes that investments would then automatically follow, which would automatically lead to economic growth. “The problem is: It doesn’t work automatically at all. What really helps is government investment and good wages, because that also stimulates domestic demand.” The Green Economics Minister Robert Habeck is also committed to tax cuts, says Kubicki. “We have a disagreement there,” admits Appuhn.
And so it continues. While Appuhn insists that people can retire at 63, Kubicki wants to make working in old age more financially attractive. While Kubicki supports the climate protection law, which is due to be passed in the Bundestag next week, Appuhn rejects it.
The point of contention: Until now, areas such as transport or housing were assessed based on whether they had saved enough greenhouse gases within a year. The focus now should be on whether greenhouse gas emissions will be reduced overall. Criticism from the Greens and the Union: This makes it impossible to check which area is not meeting its specified climate targets.
The federal government has now changed that: It is also made clear where the emissions arise and in which areas too many greenhouse gases are being released into the air. The Greens have now given up their blocking of the law. Why Appuhn still rejects it is not entirely clear in the discussion.
In the end, you have the feeling that the fronts between the FDP and the Greens have become so hardened that it is hardly possible for them to govern together. At least until the FDP party conference.