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From /apa, November 7, 2024, 6:11 a.m
Picture: JOHN MACDOUGALL (AFP)
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Christian Lindner on Wednesday evening
Picture: JOHN MACDOUGALL (AFP)
BERLIN. After the dramatic collapse of the German traffic light coalition, the pieces will be picked up on Thursday.
Finance Minister Christian Lindner, who was fired by SPD Chancellor Olaf Scholz after an unprecedented falling out, received his dismissal certificate from Germany’s Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier in the afternoon. Scholz, who has accused Lindner of multiple breaches of trust and small-mindedness, will probably be there – at least that’s usual.
In order to ensure a smooth transition, Lindner’s successor should immediately receive the certificate of appointment. The name is said to have been decided, but is not yet publicly known. The positions that will become vacant due to the announced resignation of the other three FDP ministers may also be filled today – two each from the SPD and the Greens.
More on the topic
German traffic light coalition failed: Scholz sets course for new elections
Transition phase for red-green government
This means that for the first time since 2005 there will be a red-green government, although it does not have a majority in parliament. It should only exist for a transitional phase, of which it is not yet known exactly how long it will last. On January 15th, Scholz wants to ask the Bundestag for a vote of confidence in order to bring about a new election. This must take place at the beginning of April at the latest due to two deadlines totaling 81 days anchored in the Basic Law. The most likely date is currently March 30th because there are no holidays in any federal state then.
The break in the first coalition of the SPD, Greens and FDP at the federal level occurred on Wednesday evening after a bitter dispute over the direction of the economy, particularly over the future course of economic and budget policy. During the negotiations, Scholz had, among other things, called for the debt brake to be suspended again. In view of the impasse, Lindner suggested at the meeting of the coalition committee with all party and parliamentary group leaders on Wednesday evening that a new election for the German Bundestag should be initiated together.
During a subsequent break in the meeting, the Lindner proposal ended up in public, several media outlets reported on it, whereupon Scholz asked the Federal President to dismiss his finance minister. In response, the FDP withdrew all of its ministers from the three-party alliance, which had been hopelessly at odds for many months – and thus sealed the end of the traffic light.
Image: ODD ANDERSEN (AFP)
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Annalena Baerbock and Robert Habeck
Image: ODD ANDERSEN (AFP)
Tough reckoning with the finance minister
The Chancellor’s speech, which had obviously been prepared for some time and in which he announced Lindner’s expulsion, was later praised by many party friends as the best performance of his term in office. Above all, it was a tough reckoning with the finance minister.
Scholz accused Lindner of drowning out compromises during their time in government with publicly staged arguments and blocking laws that were irrelevant. “Too often he used small-minded party political tactics. Too often he broke my trust.” There is therefore no basis for further cooperation. “Serious government work is not possible like this.”
At an SPD parliamentary group meeting, Scholz was then celebrated with standing applause and rhythmic clapping. A moment that the Chancellor has rarely experienced in his party career. The 66-year-old’s relationship with his party is considered cold.
The dismissed FDP leader returned the allegations to Scholz. The SPD politician deliberately caused the traffic light coalition to break. “His carefully prepared statement this evening proves that Olaf Scholz was no longer concerned with an agreement that was viable for everyone, but rather with a calculated break in this coalition,” said Lindner. Scholz is thus leading Germany into a phase of uncertainty.
“His counterproposals are unambitious”
Lindner accused the SPD and the Greens of not even accepting his suggestions for improving the economic situation as a basis for consultation. Scholz has long trivialized the economic concerns of citizens. “His counter-proposals are weak, unambitious and make no contribution to overcoming our country’s fundamental weakness in growth so that we can maintain our prosperity, our social security and our ecological responsibility.”
Scholz ultimately demanded that he suspend the debt brake in the Basic Law, said Lindner. “I couldn’t agree to that because it would have violated my oath of office. That’s why the Chancellor terminated his cooperation with me and the FDP at the coalition committee meeting this evening.”
Parliamentary group leader Christian Dürr announced that all FDP ministers wanted to submit their resignations to the Federal President. In addition to Lindner, these are Transport Minister Volker Wissing, Justice Minister Marco Buschmann and Education Minister Bettina Stark-Watzinger.
From today on, the SPD and the Greens will govern without a majority and are dependent on support from the opposition for every decision in parliament. The Union therefore has a special role to play.
“I’ll talk to Merz quickly”
Scholz wants to offer Union parliamentary group leader Friedrich Merz from the CDU during the transition phase to quickly look for solutions to strengthen the economy and defense. “I will now very quickly seek a conversation with the opposition leader, Friedrich Merz,” said the Chancellor. He wanted to offer Merz to work together constructively on two or even more questions “that are crucial for our country: to quickly strengthen our economy and our defense.”
The economy cannot wait until new elections have taken place, Scholz added, adding: “And we now need clarity on how we can finance our security and defense solidly in the coming years without jeopardizing cohesion in the country.” With a view to the elections in America, this is “perhaps more urgent than ever.” Donald Trump won the US presidential election shortly before the traffic light crash.
It remains to be seen how far the Chancellor will get with his advances towards the Union. Scholz and Merz are competing for the chancellorship in the next election. Their personal relationship is considered to be quite shattered after heated arguments in the Bundestag. Merz once described Scholz as the “plumber of power”. And Scholz only told the CDU leader to his face in September in the general debate in the Bundestag: “You can’t do it, that’s the truth we’re faced with.”
There are already calls from the Union for a federal election to be held as quickly as possible. “The traffic light is history. There is no time to waste now,” wrote Söder on X. Germany now needs new elections and a new government quickly. “There should be no tactical delays.”
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