The SPD, Greens and FDP presented the coalition agreement of the future traffic light government on Wednesday.
These points are already known.
Berlin - Olaf Scholz seems to be able to keep his promise from the days after the federal election in 2021: the SPD's candidate for chancellor assured that the formation of a new government would be completed before Christmas.
Almost two months after the election, the traffic light parties have now achieved a breakthrough and have agreed on a coalition agreement.
This was then presented on Wednesday afternoon.
Coalition agreement: As stated in the exploratory paper - 12 euros minimum wage and citizens' money comes
The final coalition agreement between the SPD, the Greens and the FDP is 177 pages long and is divided into eight chapters, which summarize the political goals of the coming legislative period.
A copy of the contract is available to Münchner Merkur and Merkur.de.
As already stated in the exploratory paper, the minimum wage applicable in the Federal Republic is to be increased once to 12 euros. Further increases should then be left to the independent minimum wage commission. It was also announced that Hartz IV will be abolished in its previous form and replaced by a new “citizens' money”. The traffic light parties write in their joint coalition agreement: "Citizens' money should respect the dignity of the individual, enable them to participate in society and be digitally and easily accessible."
In the further statements of the parties, it is stated that the citizens' allowance should be paid in the first two years without crediting the assets.
In addition, the saving assets of citizens' benefit recipients should also be increased compared to Hartz IV.
The focus should be on people's potential and sustainable integration into the labor market.
Coalition agreement of the traffic light parties: Basic child security is coming - voting age is to be reduced to 16
The future federal government should also significantly strengthen the rights of children and young people. This is to be done on the one hand by introducing basic child protection and on the other hand by anchoring children's rights in the Basic Law. In order to ensure more participation of young people, the active voting age for the elections of the European Parliament will be reduced to 16. In addition, the traffic light parties are also aiming for an amendment to the Basic Law in order to reduce the voting age to 16 in federal elections as well.
The future traffic light government wants to initiate a paradigm shift, especially in the area of migration.
In this context, the traffic light parties want to "enable multiple citizenship and simplify the way to acquire German citizenship".
It goes on to say: "Children of foreign parents born in Germany become German citizens when they are born if one parent has been legally resident in Germany for five years." Members of the "guest worker generation" should also be able to acquire German citizenship more easily.
Germany should be transformed into a modern immigration country in the future
Financial issues in the coalition agreement: no cash limit - investor protection is increased
In the area of finance, there should be no upper limit for the possession of cash in the coming legislative period. However, in the future, cash should no longer be allowed to be used to buy real estate - in order to prevent money laundering. Also in the fight against money laundering, the owners of real estate should in future be able to be read in a transparency register in order to prevent concealment by foundations. In addition, the traffic light parties want to examine in a feasibility study whether a digital land register based on blockchain technology is possible and advantageous.
In terms of private pension provision, the parties want to fundamentally reform the existing system.
In this context, among other things, a publicly organized fund is to be launched into which citizens can automatically pay in future and thus invest their money on the capital market at lower costs.
Through targeted funding, these offers should also be made accessible to lower income groups.
In general, the traffic light government wants to focus more on the protection of investors in the capital market and, among other things, to introduce "independent fee-based advice".
The lump sum for savers is also to be increased from the current EUR 801 to EUR 1,000.
Coalition agreement of the traffic light parties: hospital reform and cannabis legalization
Various changes are also imminent in the coming legislative period on the subject of health. The most controversial discussed in advance was the legalization of cannabis, which the traffic light parties were aiming for. In the coalition agreement, the traffic light parties write about this decision: "This will control the quality, prevent the transfer of contaminated substances and ensure the protection of minors."
However, the coalition agreement also includes a targeted reform of the hospital landscape. In the future, the states are to receive greater financial support from the federal government for investments in hospitals. At the same time, the federal government would also gain more influence in planning.
Changes are also planned with a view to maintenance.
In general, the wages and working conditions of nursing staff are to be improved and the wage gap between nursing and care for the elderly is to be closed.
"We want to make the care profession more attractive, for example with tax exemption from surcharges, through the abolition of shared services, the introduction of proprietary springer pools and a right to family-friendly working hours for people with children who require care," says the coalition agreement.
In addition, the future government parties want to introduce a ban on advertising foods with a high sugar, salt or fat content in programs and formats for under 14-year-olds.
Coalition agreement: New beginnings in the area of living and building - 400,000 new apartments per year
When it comes to building and living, the traffic light parties want to "start off".
"We will make building and living of the future affordable, climate-neutral, sustainable, low-barrier, innovative and with lively public spaces," says the coalition agreement.
The government wants to achieve this by planning to build 400,000 new apartments per year.
In addition, financial support for social housing and home subsidies is to be increased further.
Coalition agreement: traffic light government wants to bring Germany back on the 1.5-degree path
A lot should also happen when it comes to climate protection and the transition to traffic.
The Federal Transport Infrastructure Plan 2030, which was adopted in 2016, is to be completely put to the test.
Points contained that would damage the future government's climate protection plans are to be deleted.
This means that the course in terms of transport policy for the coming years can also be set from the point of view of climate policy.
In addition, the traffic light parties want to launch a new Federal Transport Infrastructure Plan in 2040.
Among other things, it says in the coalition agreement: “We want to end the coexistence of Autobahn GmbH and Deutsche Einheit Fernstraßenplanungs- und -bau Gesellschaft (DEGES).
We want to conclude a long-term financing agreement between the federal government and Autobahn GmbH. "
In general, climate protection is to be established and dealt with in the coming government as a cross-cutting issue.
This should significantly increase efforts to bring Germany back onto the 1.5-degree path.
In practice, the goal is to be achieved through a considerable expansion of renewable energies and the associated withdrawal from coal.
According to the coalition agreement, the latter should "ideally" take place by 2030.
Planning and approval procedures are to be accelerated and solar compulsory in public spaces is to be introduced.
Traffic light coalition: ministries distributed to parties - ministerial posts still partially open
With regard to personal details, the coalition agreement stipulates which party receives which department, but does not provide any direct answer to personnel questions.
The ministerial posts are to be filled by the respective parties in the coming days.
(fd)
List of rubric lists: © Kay Nietfeld / dpa
