Traffic light explorations: Scholz is optimistic despite his absence - FDP youth shows the necessary agenda

The traffic light soundings continue - at least in a small circle.

SPD chancellor candidate Scholz spoke from Washington.

News ticker.

• SPD chancellor candidate Olaf Scholz * speaks of a "very, very good and constructive atmosphere" at the traffic light explorations.

• Among other things, the Young Liberals are focusing on a student loan reform.

• This news ticker is continuously updated.

Berlin - It goes on: The negotiators from the SPD *, Greens * and FDP * continue their talks on forming a government on Thursday in a small group.

After the exploratory rounds on Monday and Tuesday, the general secretaries of the SPD and FDP as well as the federal manager of the Greens have been trying since Wednesday to put what has been negotiated on paper.

The aim is to agree on a basis for a decision by Friday that summarizes the result of the negotiations so far.

The negotiators then want to present this paper to their party committees and make a recommendation on how to proceed.

Traffic light explorations in a small group: "Very, very good and constructive atmosphere"

The reason for the small group meeting is that the SPD Chancellor candidate Olaf Scholz, as acting Federal Minister of Finance, will be at the meeting of the G20 finance ministers in Washington until this Thursday. Scholz was confident on Wednesday that there would be a traffic light government before Christmas. "The soundings are taking place in a very, very good and constructive atmosphere," he said in Washington. That is why he is sure that the project of the SPD, Greens and FDP can be realized. "Namely that we have a new government before Christmas."

The head of the Young Liberals, Jens Teutrine, formulated "a modernization agenda for the country that will break the political deadlock of recent years" as a prerequisite for a traffic light alliance.

For such a coalition "more than just legal weed" is needed, Teutrine told the

with a view to the intersections of the three partners, including the legalization of cannabis *.

What is needed is an agenda for social advancement, a student loan reform, a “grandchildren-fit pension reform” including the introduction of a statutory share pension, an increase in the mini-job limits and greater comparability in the education system.

Traffic light explorations: Young liberals formulate a “modernization agenda” - student loan reform required

The German Student Union is also calling for a fundamental reform of student loans from the future coalition. "50 years after the then social-liberal coalition launched the student loan, a real relaunch is now needed," said Secretary General Matthias Anbuhl of the German Press Agency.

There had to be higher requirement rates in the student loan that kept pace with the cost of living, the income limits of the parents would have to be "massively" increased so that more students from the middle class and from non-academic families are entitled to the student loan, the benefit must also be paid longer , since around two thirds of the students need two semesters more than the standard period of study specifies.

In the long term, the Studentenwerk advocates abolishing the loan part of the Bafög and converting the benefit back into a pure grant, as it was when it was introduced, so that none of it has to be repaid.