The Limited Times

Now you can see non-English news...

Bad coalition conflict over economic methods: "Arrogance and ignorance" - Laschet attacks the SPD head-on

2021-02-24T05:01:57.727Z


The head of economic affairs, Lars Feld, has to leave after two terms. Federal Finance Minister Olaf Scholz wants a new appointment - with candidates close to the SPD. The personality causes heated arguments.


The head of economic affairs, Lars Feld, has to leave after two terms.

Federal Finance Minister Olaf Scholz wants a new appointment - with candidates close to the SPD.

The personality causes heated arguments.

Berlin - The imminent departure of the head of economic activity, Lars Feld, in the midst of the Corona * crisis has led to a violent exchange of blows between the black-red coalition.

The new CDU leader Armin Laschet * took a sharp approach to the SPD.

Previously, the Social Democrats had prevented another term of office for the respected economist.

Laschet accused Finance Minister Olaf Scholz (SPD) via Twitter of using “arrogance” and “ignorance” to prevent Feld from continuing to work in the Expert Council.

"Especially now in the crisis, expertise would be more important than ever."

Laschet's tweet was shared by Federal Minister of Economics Peter Altmaier (CDU).

Friedrich Merz, who was defeated by Laschet in the fight for the CDU chairmanship, also sharply criticized: It was "more than regrettable that the federal government could not bring itself to keep its most important economic advisor on board in the greatest crisis in post-war history" said Merz to the newspapers of the Funke group.

Economy: SPD wants to enforce its own candidates

Feld's current term of office in the Expert Council ends on Sunday.

The CDU wanted to hold on to the Freiburg economist, but failed because of the resistance of the SPD.

The Social Democrats had recently favored the Düsseldorf economist Jens Südekum and the President of the German Institute for Economic Research (DIW), Marcel Fratzscher.

The position will remain vacant for the time being.

Feld has been a member of the Expert Council since 2011 and has been its chairman since March 2011.

The head of the prestigious Walter Eucken Institute is a proven regulatory politician who is skeptical of excessive state influence.

SPD: Feld embodies neoliberalism

The Social Democrats made no public secret of their rejection of Feld on Tuesday.

Field embodies “ideological neoliberalism”, said SPD finance politician Cansel Kiziltepe on Tuesday.

Instead of getting "bite reflexes", Laschet and the CDU should rather participate in the search for suitable candidates.

The Union reacted angrily.

The deputy chairman of the CSU regional group, Hans Michelbach, accused the SPD of “partisan motives”.

The Council of Experts is particularly needed now as an independent advisor for a clear regulatory path out of the pandemic crisis.

SPD chancellor candidate Scholz and his party were not looking for advice, but “claqueurs” for their policy of returning to the tax-raising and debt-ridden state.

"Mr. Feld is in the way and must therefore be cleared."

FDP: Union is giving up market economy principles

Sharp criticism also came from the FDP.

Parliamentary group vice-president Christian Dürr said: “It is difficult to understand that the SPD wants to fire Germany's most important economic experts in the midst of the crisis.

It is even more inexplicable, however, that the CDU and CSU obviously cannot defend themselves against it.

If the Union allows Lars Feld to leave the economy, it will finally give up its market economy principles. ”

* Merkur.de is part of the Ippen Digital editorial network.

Source: merkur

All news articles on 2021-02-24

You may like

News/Politics 2024-02-14T13:21:20.075Z

Trends 24h

News/Politics 2024-03-27T16:45:54.081Z
News/Politics 2024-03-28T06:04:53.137Z

Latest

© Communities 2019 - Privacy

The information on this site is from external sources that are not under our control.
The inclusion of any links does not necessarily imply a recommendation or endorse the views expressed within them.