Sunday 17th October 2021
Who will be finance minister?
Habeck: Item debate “not helpful”
Who will take over the finance ministry in a traffic light coalition? The job is coveted by the FDP and the Greens – the financial policy ideas of both parties also differ widely. Greens co-boss Habeck warns of speculation about personnel, which “in case of doubt only increases one’s own height of fall”.
Before the Liberals decided to start negotiations on a traffic light coalition with the SPD and the Greens, FDP leader Christian Lindner indirectly confirmed his claim to the Federal Ministry of Finance. “Only one thing is important to me: each of the three partners must be able to work, must be able to exert an influence,” said Lindner in the evening on the ARD program “Report from Berlin”.
“There is the Federal Chancellery, there is the Finance Ministry, there is a new Climate Ministry,” added the FDP leader. “And I am of the opinion that each of the partners must have the opportunity to work creatively.” According to Lindner’s ideas, the Greens would apparently take over the climate ministry, the SPD the chancellery and his party the finance department.
When asked about Lindner’s ambitions on ARD, Greens co-boss Robert Habeck said: “Christian Lindner has never made a secret of the fact that the FDP wants the finance ministry. And that he considers himself called to become finance minister, he has also more than clearly announced in the election campaign. So no surprise at the front. “
“The competition is there, no question about it”
Habeck warned in the “Report from Berlin” that it is “not helpful if you now get involved in speculation about personnel.” “It is part of fairness, good manners and political wisdom not to do that now. In case of doubt, you only increase your own height.”
The Greens co-chief admitted that his party and the FDP have “very different ideas about financial policy”. “The competition is there, without question,” said Habeck. In order to build trust in the coalition talks, personal ambitions would have to be put on hold. In his own case, too, he “always pushes them back and pats everyone who twitches on the fingers”.
The FDP will be the last of the three traffic light parties to advise on starting coalition negotiations on Monday. The SPD executive board already agreed on Friday, the Greens spoke out in favor of it at a small party congress on Sunday. On Friday, the traffic light explorers presented a joint result paper that should serve as a basis. FDP leader Christian Lindner strongly advocated a traffic light alliance.