New traffic light pressure? Altmaier wants quick input from probers - SPD minister is fueling speculation

Traffic light explorations - now in an extra long format: On Monday, the SPD, Greens and FDP want to negotiate for hours.

There are "tough chunks".

News ticker.

• On Monday (October 11, 9 a.m.), exploratory talks between the SPD *, the Greens * and the FDP * will start again - the traffic light coalition is being negotiated

  (see first report)

  .

• The youth of the parties remains skeptical

  (update from October 11th, 11.30 a.m.).

• A minister in the current government announced that she would like to keep her post.

  Will that work?

  (Update from October 11th, 1:45 p.m.)

• This news ticker is continuously updated.

This ticker has ended.

Read all the news about the soundings in our new ticker.

Update from October 11th, 8:06 pm

: After more than ten hours, the marathon

between representatives of the FDP, SPD and the Greens came to an end.

As agreed, there were no night sessions and - also as agreed - none of the participants let the content of the conversations be revealed.

The next interview is scheduled for Tuesday morning.

On Wednesday and Thursday, the general secretaries want to speak in small groups because Finance Minister Olaf Scholz is in the USA.

A first decision on whether there will be coalition talks should be made on Friday.

Traffic light explorations: Altmaier turns to the SPD, Greens and FDP with a proposal to co-govern

Update from October 11th, 4.10 p.m.:

Even if a first exploratory conclusion should be available by the end of the week

There is still a long way to go before a possible traffic light coalition.

For this reason, Minister of Economic Affairs Peter Altmaier wants to turn to the SPD, Greens and FDP with a proposal.

It would be a first, early co-government of the red-green-yellow alliance.

Altmaier - who himself has announced his withdrawal from the Bundestag - would like to speak about measures to lower energy prices, especially for socially disadvantaged households. He suggests abolishing the EEG surcharge quickly and increasing the housing benefit. The minister said on the broadcaster Bild TV that the price screw is noticeable for citizens in three places: heating, electricity and driving. He will therefore turn to the leaders of the three (traffic light) parties and his own. Politics could alleviate problems that particularly affect citizens. It makes no sense if the incumbent Bundestag passes laws that expire immediately.

Specifically, the minister wants to propose the SPD, Greens and FDP to abolish the levy for financing the expansion of renewable energies immediately, instead of over a period of four or five years. Although the EEG surcharge will probably fall for the first time in 2022, by two cents, Altmaier said. Then there were still four and a half cents left. In addition, the new government must “take into account the situation of those who are already receiving housing benefits with very little income”.

It is unclear whether the future coalition members will come to an agreement on this issue quickly - and before the coalition talks are concluded.

FDP parliamentary group vice Alexander Graf Lambsdorff referred in the program to the fact that his party, with the lowering of the electricity tax and the abolition of the EEG surcharge, "has a whole range of measures in its portfolio that will also take effect in the short term".

Traffic light explorations are underway: First SPD minister expresses ambitions - Schulze wants to stay in office

Update from October 11th, 1:45 p.m.:

The soundings are ongoing. It is unclear whether this might already be about personnel debates. So far, the parties have strictly adhered to the agreed silence. But Federal Environment Minister Svenja Schulze (SPD) says she would like to keep her office in a new federal government. “Of course, that's a really great position that I have here,” said Schulze on Monday on the sidelines of an appointment at the UN Conference on Biodiversity Biodiversity Conference.

"Of course, I would like to continue," said Schulze on her government ambitions.

Her prospects for further work as head of the environment department are, however, rather uncertain, as the Greens are likely to claim the leadership of this ministry for themselves, possibly even as a "climate ministry" with additional competencies.

The media have been speculating about possible cabinet positions for a few days.

Traffic light soundings: Green youth skeptical

Update from October 11th, 11.30

a.m

The new co-federal spokesman for the Green Youth, Timon Dzienus, was skeptical about the prospects of success of the explorations.

In particular with the FDP there are significant differences, he told the RTL / ntv show “Frühstart”.

"These are just tough chunks with the FDP, where the Greens and the SPD have to assert themselves in many places." give way very much ".

Dzienus accused the FDP of “market belief” on the subject of climate and rents

before.

Juso chairwoman Jessica Rosenthal also referred to the differences between Jusos and the Young Liberals.

It is now about the probing to look for common ground, she told the Phoenix broadcaster.

She reaffirmed the funding after an earlier coal phase-out than 2038 - but with which she also opposed SPD chancellor candidate Olaf Scholz.

For climate protection this is "a very big chunk, where we can gain a lot in a short time."

According to the dpa, participants in the ongoing exploratory talks, which are scheduled for ten hours this Monday, mean that details should now also be discussed in smaller groups.

The negotiators do not want to speak publicly until Tuesday.

Arrival of the traffic lights - Scholz alone, FDP and Greens together

Update from October 11th, 9:36 am:

The traffic light peaks have meanwhile arrived for the in-depth exploratory talks.

Videos by Reuters chief correspondent Andreas Rinke on Twitter show how Olaf Scholz arrived alone for the SPD.

FDP and Greens, who met for talks shortly after the general election, demonstratively arrived together - in the person of Annalena Baerbock and Robert Habeck (Greens) as well as Christian Lindner and Volker Wissing (FDP).

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Olaf Scholz (center), SPD candidate for Chancellor and Federal Minister of Finance, comes to the venue for the exploratory talks.

© Christoph Soeder / dpa

Sounding for the traffic light: climate protesters protest

Update from October 11th, 9.15 a.m

.: Before the start of the talks between the SPD / Greens / FDP, according to dpa, climate protectors demonstrated at the conference location, the Berlin trade fair. What is the status of the explorations? The representatives of the parties continue to insist on the agreed confidentiality. However, dispute is emerging on the topics of taxes, debts and the financing of climate protection measures.

This is probably why ex-Juso boss and SPD vice-president Kevin Kühnert was asked about FDP boss Christian Lindner in today's “Morgenmagazin” (ARD).

His answer: “We have now ruled together with the CDU / CSU for eight years.

In other words, the idea that we will soon have a government without Andi Scheuer or Julia Klöckner gives me a certain advance of joy, which Christian Lindner cannot spoil for me now.

I just hope that's the other way around. "

Explorations: “Traffic light” parties aim to take stock of the weekend

Update from October 11th, 7:53 a.m.:

The three-party exploratory talks continue: the SPD, Greens and FDP will speak again on Monday about the formation of a traffic light coalition.

Representatives of the three parties will meet in Berlin in the morning for in-depth exploratory talks.

Further meetings are announced for Tuesday and Friday.

The general secretaries of the parties want to continue working in a small group on Wednesday and Thursday.

The aim is to draw up an interim balance at the end of the week.

Then, above all, the FDP and the Greens want to decide whether to enter into coalition negotiations with the SPD - or whether there may have to be another exploratory round.

Traffic light soundings on Monday: FDP confirms red lines

Update from October 11, 6:33 a.m.:

Today it goes on: Before the exploratory talks between the SPD, Greens and FDP to form a traffic light coalition

, the parliamentary manager of the FDP parliamentary group, Marco Buschmann, has the framework conditions of the liberals for a possible Alliance reaffirmed. "The red lines of the FDP are known: no tax increases and no loosening of the debt brake of our Basic Law," said Buschmann the

. There are also “other areas of friction”, but all three parties are “ambitious”.

"The discussions have to show whether there is frictional energy for a forward impulse," he said, according to the magazine.

So far everything has been "very serious and professional".

It is clear to everyone involved: "It's about our country," said the FDP politician.

No more FDP-Greens “Chichi”: traffic light explorers get down to business

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From Monday, Olaf Scholz probes the “traffic light” - with the apparently annoyed Green Katharina Fegebank (archive photo).

© Daniel Bockwoldt / dpa / picture-alliance

First report from October 10th:

Berlin - On Monday, things will get serious: SPD, Greens and FDP will start exploratory talks with traffic lights * in a large group. Once again, little could reach the public - no statements are planned. And even if they were planned: The party leaders would probably not have revealed more than that it was a conversation in a pleasant atmosphere.

Before the discussion marathon on Monday (ten hours from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. are planned), the coalition's strategy is all the more attention.

Because the cuddling course should be over.

Greens boss Robert Habeck warned on Sunday of "significant differences" *, the FDP spoke for the first time again offensively of "red lines".

The “Show” and “Chichi” by the Greens and the FDP are now over, political scientist Albrecht von Lucke also explained to the “Tagesschau”.

And then there is also a third person who has so far been quite calm, but who should change that behind closed doors on Monday at the latest: Olaf Scholz * and his SPD.

Traffic light explorations: Expert praises Scholz '"extremely clever strategy" - now it's about the money

Von Lucke attested the candidate for chancellor "an extremely clever strategy".

The SPD man had given himself humbly.

Probably in the knowledge that another party will fill the news vacuum completely: "He knew exactly: The moments of self-destruction will focus all of us fully on the Union".

In fact, the CDU and CSU followed suit this weekend - with calls for resignation from party friends and taunts between the sister parties *.

So now there is a dispute within the pamphlet.

One of the main points of contention is likely to be financial and tax policy.

“Everyone we talked to knows our demands: no tax increases and no easing of the debt brake.

We hold on to that.

Debts do not create a future, ”said FDP General Secretary Volker Wissing of

.

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Exploratory talks between the FDP, SPD and the Greens: Volker Wissing, Lars Klingbeil and Michael Kellner on Thursday in Berlin.

© Kay Nietfeld / dpa

It is clear that this course would primarily put government spending under pressure - as FDP MP Lukas Köhler

frankly confirmed to

the

at the weekend: "The state has no income problem, but a spending problem," he said in a dispute with the Greens -Colleague Kathrin Henneberger.

This is exactly what the Greens in particular are likely to see differently: In their election manifesto * they are calling for massive investments over the next ten years, especially in climate protection.

They also do not want to use income from the CO2 price for this, as Henneberger made clear: These should be "given back to the people in full".

Traffic light coalition in the making: Grüner pointed to financial problems - FDP could come under pressure

Winfried Kretschmann's Green Finance Minister Danyal Bayaz pointed out a possible way out on Friday *.

He indicates a thrust towards shifting the tax burden upwards, with largely unchanged total income - he wanted to give up projects like the wealth tax.

He could run open doors with Olaf Scholz and FDP leader Christian Lindner.

The problem of the strained national budget would remain, however.

It will also be very exciting to see how the SPD and FDP agree on other demands.

For example, at the minimum wage of 12 euros, which the Social Democrats had written at the top of the election program *.

Another interesting question is how the balance of power at the table will look in general.

The Greens and FDP had quickly taken the reins of action.

But now it's down to the nitty-gritty - and for the Liberals, the largely unmanaged Union seems to be turning out to be a lifebuoy, as is a quick end to the explorations.

After all, they had already played the withdrawal card in 2017.

With general horror and a certain amount of malice in public.

So now the concept of equal negotiation * that the Liberals have called for is being put to the test.

SPD, Greens and FDP sound out: Scholz has to go to Washington - Greens warns of SPD "top dog"

It is already clear that the SPD, Greens and FDP do not want to let the talks become a hangover. According to statements from the FDP presidium, an interim conclusion and the change to tangible coalition talks could be pending at the end of the week. By the way, before that happens, Scholz will temporarily leave the group - he is traveling to a meeting of finance ministers in Washington. Perhaps that will give the co-negotiators a sigh of relief.

Greens explorer Katharina Fegebank had already recalled negotiations in Hamburg a few days ago in a conversation with the NDR - and warned: Scholz had the "claim to be the top dog, to want to dominate conversations and to leave relatively little room for maneuver," said she.

Unlike before the formation of the red-green Hamburg government in 2015, this time the company is in a "strategically excellent" starting position.

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