Merkel's Groko before the final mud fight: three prestige projects suddenly disappear from the agenda

Is there still enough time?

Angela Merkel's GroKo could bequeath three major tasks to her successors - and a lot of broken china.

A mud fight threatens the last few meters.

Berlin - It's going to be tight, in the last few meters: There are only two weeks of session in the Bundestag before the summer break - after that, things won't really continue in Parliament until after the Bundestag election * in autumn. And now, of all times, Angela Merkel's * GroKo threatens to get caught up again on several important issues. At the top of the list of possible flops: the supply chain law, care reform and the issue of party donations.

So it is all about three topics with great symbolic effect - and at least in two cases great influence on the lives of many people, also beyond Germany.

It is precisely these that have recently disappeared from the Bundestag agenda.

Or didn't even show up there.

Particularly spicy: The content-related dispute threatens to degenerate into mud battles between the departing coalition partners.

An overview of the open construction sites of the GroKo and the in many places shattered inner workings of the coalition.

Supply Chain Act: Prestige project suddenly disappears from the agenda - SPD raises serious allegations

How is it going?

The Bundestag * was actually supposed to discuss the long and heavily controversial supply chain law on Thursday - but things turned out differently. The law disappeared from the agenda. To the suspicion of the opposition: "Some in the coalition still need to be diluted," tweeted the parliamentary manager of the Greens, Britta Haßelmann. This also met the assessment of the SPD - which rejects the guilt. Because the Union parliamentary group wants to negotiate again on the regulations on civil liability. The background is probably criticism from the economy. The Federation of German Employers' Associations attested an "objective impossibility" of implementing the law.

This is what it's all about:

Many German companies are now networked around the world - with production sites in Europe, Africa or Asia. The law is intended to oblige German companies to “observe human rights due diligence in their supply chains”. Specifically, it is about child labor, slavery, occupational safety, but also environmental protection measures against soil and water pollution. If human rights are violated by suppliers, German companies should in future help with “risk analyzes, preventive and remedial measures and complaints”, as it is called quite bureaucratically. From 2023, companies with more than 3000 employees in Germany and from 2024 also companies with more than 1000 employees will be affected. Violations can also result in fines.

The mud battle factor:

high. The SPD is angry. According to a party spokeswoman, it is about "detailed questions" that still need to be clarified: "One can assume that the delay is not due to the SPD." The party leadership became clearer. “The attitude of the CDU and CSU to block everything that they consider to be profit-reducing and thus anti-business is unfortunately not new. Protection against dismissal, consumer protection, environmental protection - all of this is the devil's stuff for the conservatives, ”said party leader Norbert Walter-Borjans of the

Rheinische Post

on Friday. The rejection of an effective supply chain law put this "narrow-minded clientele policy, however, the crown".

What's next?

There is pressure to reach an agreement.

Development Minister Gerd Müller (CSU) appealed to his own parliamentary group to give in.

"To all skeptics who are still resisting from the economy, I say: the development will overwhelm you," he emphasized on Wednesday at an event of the Union parliamentary group.

Consumers * no longer accepted slave wages and child labor in the supply chain.

Labor Minister Hubertus Heil (SPD) expects the law to be passed in this legislature.

It seems open, however, whether it will then still serve its purpose: The law has already been “heavily gutted” in favor of the economy, criticized the “Initiative Supply Chain Act”.

Party donations: flop because of a spicy demand on the SPD?

"Blackmail" allegations against Union

How is it going?

The SPD and Union were already threatened with a flop in the lobby register. Here, too, the comrades accused Angela Merkel's party of blocking. Then came the mask affair - and the CDU and CSU were still moving. A reform on the issue of party donations was suddenly even possible. However, according to a report by the

Süddeutsche Zeitung (SZ)

, an agreement has

moved further into the distance. The reason, apparently, is that the Union wants to combine a new regulation with a demand that is painful for the SPD. The Social Democrats should give up participation in several media groups.

This is what it is about:

In a secret meeting, the CDU, CSU, SPD, Greens and Left apparently wanted to agree on a reform of the rules on party donations - the FDP was absent because of its party congress, writes the

SZ

. The limit values ​​for the disclosure of specific donation amounts and donor names are supposed to be lowered, and new rules for dealing with sponsorship income are also being discussed. This could restore confidence in politics. There was recently a scandal about a donation meeting by Health Minister Jens Spahn (CDU) *. This did not only take place in Corona times - according to reports, donations of 9,999 euros were also desired. Also planned - and apparently not affected by the Zoff - are stricter rules for lobbying activities.

The mud battle factor:

enormous. The SPD was angry: "This is an unsuitable diversionary maneuver to prevent transparency and to cover it up," said SPD treasurer Dietmar Nietan when asked by the

SZ

. He sees no connection between the issue of party donations and the - again and again controversial - publishing participations. In the meantime, the CSU in particular is pushing the buck to the Social Democrats. General Secretary Markus Blume stated that the Union wanted a "comprehensive solution, but the SPD apparently lacks the strength for this at the moment". The Union also apparently calls for strict rules for corporate holdings by parties in general.

What's next:

The reform of the party donation rules could obviously fail in the end.

According to the report, the negotiations have "burst" outright at this point.

Nursing reform: Merkel's GroKo makes an important novella about the hanging game - the outcome is open

How is it going?

For months the Union and the SPD have been struggling to improve care. But time is running out. According to Labor Minister Hubertus Heil, "details" of the plans are still unclear. However, the first associations are already afraid of an end to the planning: The care reform should "not fall victim to election campaign tactics," warned Caritas on Friday. Diakonie also sees great pressure to reform. "The costs for people in need of care have long been beyond any reasonable limit," said its President Ulrich Lilie. At the request of

Merkur.de

, VdK President Verena Bentele made a

similar

statement

months ago.

This is what it is about:

The federal government is apparently fighting violently over statutory rules for collective bargaining in elderly care. According to Heils information, there are differences in the question of which collective wage is used - he fears that low house tariffs as a stipulation elsewhere could be at the expense of people who “already have quite decent tariffs”. Heil also wants to limit the personal contributions of those to be cared for - but the financing of the plans is still largely open. The planned law was taken off the agenda at short notice on Friday.

The mud battle factor:

So far, the tone of voice in Angela Merkel's government has remained moderate.

It is also undisputed that caregivers should be paid better.

However, both partners in Merkel's GroKo claim the decisive advances for themselves.

The SPD is already making the third attempt to improve care conditions, emphasized Chancellor candidate Olaf Scholz * in mid-May.

Spahn, however, indirectly accused the SPD of not having an eye on the burdens for those affected.

What's next?

The project has not yet died.

According to a report by the Ärzteblatt, the health committee will discuss the improvements on May 31.

If an agreement is reached, the Bundestag could decide in June - at the last minute.

Climate Protection Act: Zoff about the money?

Union wants to let Merkel speak a word of power if necessary

Incidentally, the Climate Protection Act did not appear on the Bundestag agenda last week - rather surprising after the GroKo had actually quickly agreed on a reform of the Climate Act under the impression of the complaint of the Constitutional Court.

According to a report from the world, despite the approved cabinet draft, there is still trouble here: Among other things, immediate measures for climate protection and the exact procedure for raising CO2 prices are controversial.

The Union accuses Scholz, among other things, of providing too little money with eight billion euros for measures - and wants Merkel to speak out if necessary. However, it is unlikely that the plans will actually fail. The embarrassment of leaving unfinished homework from Karlsruhe to the subsequent government would be too great. (

fn with material from dpa and AFP

) *

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