The situation on Tuesday: What now, Mr. Johnson?

Today, we are dealing with possible solutions to the Brexit chaos, with the budget debate in the Bundestag, with an important test choice in the US. And with a strange case of political influence.

Test choice for Trump

Saul Loeb / AFP

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Issue 37/2019

King Boris

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Political operations in the US are nervously looking to North Carolina today . There, a by-election for a seat in the House of Representatives in Washington is held in a constituency around the city of Charlotte. In the actual election, the past "Midterms", there had been irregularities. The outcome of the ballot could be considered the first test of mood for the election year 2020 : the constituency has been firmly in the hands of the Republicans for decades, Donald Trump won here in 2016 against Hillary Clinton with a lead of twelve percentage points. Now polls predict a close race ahead.

Trump and his deputy Mike Pence rushed to North Carolina at the last minute to promote Republican candidate Dan Bishop. A victory for Democrat Dan McCready in their old stronghold would undoubtedly be an alarm signal before the 2020 election. Vice versa, Trump himself would celebrate Bishop's close success as a great personal triumph - and as confirmation of his political course.

Turmoil in the British Parliament

Getty Images / Charles McQuillan

This night will go down in British history : Opposition members are trying to prevent Speaker of the House, John Bercow , from standing up and formally ending Parliament's sitting. Signs are held up, tumultuous scenes, some parliamentarians sing songs. It does not help: MEPs have to go to compulsory break until 14 October. Premier Boris Johnson gets his way at this point. That's the rule.

Before the forced break, MEPs once again rejected a government petition for new elections during the night. Now, the big question is what Johnson is considering as a next step to deliver on his promise to lead the country out of the EU on October 31st. He will probably use the next few days for further negotiations with the EU on a new exit deal.

Have fun. Both on the island, as well as in Brussels, various old plans from the Brexit negotiations in the past year are brought out, with which the controversial Northern Ireland problem (keyword: "backstop") could still be solved. Whatever Johnson eventually negotiates with the EU, he needs a majority in parliament, he does not. He would also have to win opposition members for a possible new "deal". Can he succeed? It is unlikely, but not excluded. In any case, that would not be a gamble, but real statesmanship. Exceptionally.

• Brexit-Chaos: How Boris Johnson Forfeits the Future of the Country

Who pays for climate protection?

DPA

Today, the big hour for the Friends of bare numbers : Finance Minister Olaf Scholz (SPD) introduces the Budget 2020 at the beginning of the traditional budget week in the Bundestag. The Grand Coalition has set itself the goal of keeping the so-called black zero. That is, the expenditure of more than 360 billion euros are matched by revenues in the same amount. The catch on the matter: There are several unknowns in the bill. Above all, it is unclear how expensive the climate law will be that the Grand Coalition plans to produce only towards the end of the month. The coalition partners have a number of ideas that could cost many billions of euros. How this is to be financed is still open. But one thing is for sure: If this coalition really did get a big hit in terms of climate protection, it would secure a place in the history books. Otherwise, it's probably only for a footnote.

• SPIEGEL ONLINE interview: Olaf Scholz explains climate policy on the coalition question

Loser of the day ...

REUTERS

... is US Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross . He has, according to a media report massively intervened in favor of his boss Donald Trump in the dispute over his comments on the course of hurricane "Dorian" ("Sharpie Gate"). As we recall, Trump claimed last week that "Dorian" would hit the state of Alabama too hard. The US weather service in Alabama soon realized that Alabama would not feel any effects of the storm. Trump was exposed until suddenly last Friday, the head of the state weather service NOAA corrected the colleagues in Alabama and made a statement on the side of the President. Alabama could have been affected, it was surprising.

Now it turns out that this correction in favor of the president apparently came only through massive political pressure. According to a report in the New York Times, Trump's Secretary of Commerce Ross has threatened to dismiss the head of the state's US weather service. Did he come up with the idea himself? Or did someone give him the order? The weather gods know that alone.

The compact news overview in the morning: current and opinionated. Every morning (weekdays) at 6 o'clock. Order directly here:

The latest news from the night

• US apparently withdrew top spy from Moscow: For decades, the informant to have passed valuable internals from the Kremlin - then he suddenly had to leave
• Fire in Dusseldorf hospital: The smoke spread over five floors of the building - one patient died, many more people were injured
• DFB team win against Northern Ireland: For half the outsider could keep up - then turned on the German team

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I wish you a good start to the day.

Your Roland Nelles