The situation in the morning - traffic light soundings, Austria's government crisis, Afghanistan deployment of the Bundeswehr

Today it is about the hard work in the traffic light soundings, the formulation of a "basis for decision-making" and the question of which politician sets the tone.

In Austria, the new Chancellor does not want to give up the old.

And the Bundeswehr mission in Afghanistan is honored in Berlin.

The hour of the generals

Olaf Scholz

has to

travel to Washington

for the

.

In Berlin meanwhile, his SPD general secretary Lars Klingbeil is doing everything in his power to pave the way for him to become chancellor over the next two days.

Together with the Greens federal manager Michael Kellner and FDP general secretary Volker Wissing, the 43-year-old wants to put the previous 14 hours of exploratory talks

on paper

with the

of the

so-called

from the three delegations who logged during the talks.

The next two days are the "moment of truth," says Wissing.

On Friday, when Scholz has returned from the USA, an

from climate protection over Europe to tax policy should be available, on the basis of which the negotiators

can recommend

their bodies to

.

Or maybe not.

My colleague Valerie Höhne and my colleagues Jonas Schaible, Christoph Schult and Christian Teevs describe Klingbeil, Kellner and Wissing as an “unequal trio that has come together.

But according to all that you can hear, a chemistry has developed between the three of them in the few days that could be a decisive factor in whether the SPD, FDP and the Greens start coalition negotiations. "

Per you are all with each other at least already.

• Traffic light explorations: the general debate

Klingbeil's hour

Everyone plays their own role in these explorations.

With a little luck and a lot of strategy, it will turn into an alliance that relies on dazzling cooperation instead of dull compromises.

While the

Baerbock, Habeck, Lindner and Wissing stage

the political hard work lies with the trio Klingbeil, Wissing, Kellner.

And they also know how to stage that, see

scene yesterday, in which the popular political metaphor of the »hurdle« (not insurmountable!) Was often used.

I am particularly concerned with Klingbeil's role in this trio, in these negotiations.

He looks like the one who holds the store together.

When at the end of the press conference the question was asked whether the traffic light has become more likely in the past few days, everyone looks at each other, then Klingbeil says that they are on the right track.

The traffic light negotiations could be Klingbeil's masterpiece

after he had had the perfect training

in the SPD since taking office in 2017: an emptied, divided party in strategic infirmity.

Klingbeil has served seven chairmen so far, tightened the party organization, organized a member vote on the party chairmanship, got to know the surprise winners Saskia Esken and Norbert Walter-Borjans, pushed for solidarity and thus enabled Scholz to run for chancellor despite the left-wing chairman duo Missed campaign.

Klingbeil can be left or right, he is friends with Kevin Kühnert, Gerhard Schröder recommended him as a candidate for chancellor.

With 47.6 percent, Klingbeil got the second best first vote result of all SPD candidates in his constituency in Lower Saxony.

A year and a half ago, my colleague Marc Hujer wrote a portrait of Klingbeil about his "sunny disposition" and the voice "that sounds like he is talking through a cotton ball".

Perhaps he will still be able to use it in the next few weeks.

And then?

Is it going up: either in the party or in the government.

Klingbeil could become party leader and keep Scholz's back free;

or, more likely, to take on an important portfolio.

He is already being traded as a possible defense minister.

• FDP veteran Baum zur Ampel: "Even today, more democracy must be dared"

Appreciation of an unfortunately unsuccessful mission

The

almost 20 years

.

In the summer, the mission ended abruptly because the Americans withdrew.

The country has since fallen back into the hands of the radical Islamic Taliban.

At the last minute, Germany was struggling to evacuate not only its own citizens, but also so-called Afghan local staff and people in general at risk.

The action ended in chaos; the federal government had delayed this rescue mission for weeks and months.

Return of the Taliban, inglorious end of the mission - and yet this Bundeswehr mission is to be honored today at various events in Berlin.

Isn't that a little weird?

No it is not.

To thank those who

and to commemorate those

, is completely independent of the fact that this mission has failed politically and militarily.

It starts shortly after noon with a wreath-laying ceremony in memory of the 59 German soldiers who died in Afghanistan.

At the Ministry of Defense there will then be a central closing

call

with Federal President

and Chancellor

.

This is followed by a reception at the invitation of Bundestag President Wolfgang Schäuble.

In the evening, the mission will be honored with a

front of the Reichstag building.

Shadow Chancellor Kurz?

Austria is not coming to rest. The new Chancellor Alexander Schallenberg has just made it clear that there is no space between him and his predecessor, who is suspected of corruption, and Wunderwuzzi ret , proceed in close coordination with our federal party leader Sebastian Kurz, «he declared in parliament.

While the Greens are loyal to the coalition with the new Chancellor and the old Kurz ÖVP, SPÖ leader Pamela Rendi-Wagner scoffed at Schallenberg as "Chancellor by Kurz 'grace". For the ÖVP in the Vienna Parliament, however, Kurz is "a great statesman and we thank him". However, while the first ÖVP representatives in the countries signal that they are slowly enough with the short glory.

You can find more information about Austria in our new podcast: A system of intrigue and corruption?

My SPIEGEL colleague Sandra Sperber and Zsolt Wilhelm from the Austrian »Standard« reconstruct Sebastian Kurz's incredible rise and fall in »Inside Austria« using hundreds of pages of confidential investigation files that both editorial offices have and interviews with former companions. From now on every Saturday with a new episode. Subscribe to “Inside Austria” on Apple Podcast, Spotify or any other podcast player.

And I would also like to recommend our new newsletter to you: In our weekly update »Die Lage: Inside Austria« - also a cooperation between SPIEGEL and »Standard« - you will receive all relevant news, exclusive research and background information: Here you can sign up for subscribe to the newsletter.

• The state affair surrounding Sebastian Kurz and its consequences for Austria: well-done surveys, »determined perpetrators« and loyal career diplomats

Sad statistics of the day ...

... is the high number of unvaccinated pregnant women in England who are seriously ill with Covid

and have to be treated in hospitals.

According to an analysis by the British health authority NHS for England, this group makes up around 20 percent of the seriously ill.

Since spring there has been a vaccination recommendation for pregnant women in Great Britain, in Germany the Stiko was only able to bring itself to this in September.

But so many cases as in England have not yet been reported in this country.

The latest news from the night

• Somalia struggles for 100,000 square kilometers of sea from Kenya: Huge deposits of

  raw materials are suspected in the seabed - Somalia and Kenya had therefore been wrestling for a sea area in the Indian Ocean for years.

  Now the International Court of Justice has decided

• Young liberals call for major drug reform:

  should a possible traffic light coalition legalize cannabis?

  SPD health expert Lauterbach experienced a change of heart - and advocates this.

  The Young Liberals want to go even further

• Figure of indigenous woman to replace Columbus statue:

  A year ago, the city of Mexico removed a Columbus statue from a boulevard.

  Now one thing is certain: the seafarer will not come back - his place will be taken by an indigenous woman

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I wish you a good start to the day.

Your Sebastian Fischer