Wednesday, December 15, 2021
Union is already rumbling at the traffic light
The Chancellor promises: “It will turn out well”
From Sebastian Huld
The first government declaration by Chancellor Scholz turns out to be a detailed review of the coalition agreement. Nevertheless, the new head of government has brought a few key messages with him. The new opposition leader is foaming.
Anyone who still does not feel meant by Chancellor Olaf Scholz at the end of the first government declaration either does not live in the Federal Republic or nodded away briefly at the relevant point. One week after his appointment, the new head of government takes plenty of time to present his government’s plans. This is good for the few people who have been away in the past few months of the pandemic. The overwhelming majority in the country might not have needed to read the coalition agreement of the Ampel parties, especially not in Scholz’s usual pathos-free lecture style.
Well-rested listeners were able to take some clues from the 63-year-old’s appearance on the government’s actions in the first months of traffic lights. And this is dictated to the traffic light more from the outside than that it would have chosen the topics: overcoming the pandemic and the rapid decarbonization of Germany. “Nobody is doing well in these times. Not me, not you and not the citizens,” says Scholz in the part of his speech, which is read aloud line by line, comparatively insistently. “We will fight this pandemic with the utmost determination and yes, we will win it.”
SPD writes Christmas cards
After an interview with “Bild am Sonntag” stuck with the quote that Scholz also sees himself as Chancellor of the unvaccinated, the Chancellor makes a small position correction and accounts for those who still refuse to be vaccinated: The The Federal Government sees itself as the voice of the sensible and solidarians, even if it is ready to listen to the skeptics. But: “This tiny minority of the hateful, who attack us all with torch marches, violence and death threats, we will counter with all means of our democratic constitutional state.”
Since the AfD is annoying at this point with outraged heckling anyway, the following topic fits well: Scholz takes time again to thank Angela Merkel. The Chancellor had acted “completely unpretentiously and without airs, always with courage, pragmatism and prudence”. Merkel had “done everything possible to make the handover to her successor as calm as possible”. That was received “worldwide with a lot of respect”.
At this point, of course, the Union also applauds, which is otherwise largely motionless following the government declaration. Much of what Scholz reports, she would probably have agreed to the formation of a Jamaica connection. But Scholz’s monotonous presentation also demands a lot of concentration from the members of the government parliamentary groups. Quite a few apparently have many important messages to answer on their cell phones. Christmas cards for the constituency are also written on the SPD bank.
A set for everyone and about everything
Scholz says a lot that should warm the hearts of the Ampel MPs, especially those of the Greens: He, who had applied to be “Climate Chancellor” in the Bundestag election campaign, talks about the traffic lights’ plans to bring Germany to 1.5. Degree path: faster planning and approval procedures, a European emissions trading system, new depreciation options and tax loss offsetting, a climate and transformation fund, an international climate club, and by 2030 a doubling of the production of renewable energies by 2030 and 15 million E- Cars on the streets.
When it comes to social issues, the FDP-Bank applauds more strongly than when it comes to social and climate issues with its Ampel colleagues. Scholz says twice that Germany is a “country of migration”: Citizens with a history of migration have a “right to full participation in social life in our country,” he says and promises: “Everyone who tries hard in this country for a better one Having life has me by their side. “
East Germany, children, recipients of basic security and pensioners are also mentioned. Scholz tries to convey that he sees himself as the country’s chancellor. He wants to be a chancellor who takes people’s worries seriously and offers constructive solutions in view of the tremendous upheavals and uncertainties of the coming years. People should know: “It will turn out well for me and my family and for our country.” Scholz wants to be a chancellor of confidence.
Brinkhaus: Small-scale presentation instead of large lines
The new opposition leader, CDU / CSU parliamentary group leader Ralph Brinkhaus, doubts that this will reach those who are meant: “Progress and the future need enthusiasm. I have not seen this enthusiasm in the last 90 minutes,” says Brinkhaus. He expects a chancellor to present the broad lines in his government speech and not refer to the coalition agreement in detail. Nevertheless, he congratulates Scholz, wishes the best of luck and offers constructive opposition.
But the friendly tone does not last, because the Union is angry: At the request of the traffic light parties, the Union MPs should swap places with the FDP so that the Liberals no longer have to sit next to the AfD. A debate on this is not provided for in the motion. “How small is that?” Brinkhaus outrags loudly. The FDP, the supposedly natural ally of the Union, is particularly in the crosshairs of Brinkhaus’ lecture. Federal Finance Minister Christian Lindner saw with his supplementary budget on the foundation of the debt brake.
The outrage on the FDP bank is great. The Union acknowledged Brinkhaus speech, however, with standing applause. It is perhaps the best moment for the two sister parties, which are experiencing an unquestionably difficult day: the first regular working day in the opposition after 16 years with Angela Merkel at the helm. That Scholz’s promise “Everything will be fine” reassures the Christian Democrats and Christian Socialists is not to be expected. But maybe the Union was really not meant in Scholz’s speech.