The traffic light stands: Baerbock speaks about the message of the coalition agreement - "Politics in line with reality"

Greens co-chair Annalena Baerbock is to become Germany's first female foreign minister.

A strong German foreign policy can only be a European one, so the Greens.

Berlin / Munich - For the first time, a woman is to head the German Foreign Office.

Already in the final spurt of the negotiations on the traffic light coalition it became clear: the Green CO chair Annalena Baerbock * will be the new head of German foreign policy.

She previously announced that she wanted to return to a “more active European foreign policy”.

In an interview with the news magazine

, she repeated this statement.

The future Foreign Minister also commented on the coalition negotiations, the current Corona * escalation and the climate goals of the new federal government.

Traffic light coalition: Baerbock sees different perspectives as an enrichment of the debate

The Greens co-chair Baerbock drew a positive picture of her interaction with the future Chancellor Olaf Scholz * during the negotiations.

According to her, you get to know each other better “when you sit together day and night”.

"The later the hour, the more humorous the conversations were," she added.

Baerbock confirmed differences of opinion with the FDP *: “We often have different points of view, but they can really enrich debates.

The great similarities between the Greens and Liberals in social policy are reflected in the coalition agreement. ”In addition, depending on the policy area,“ different ideas about whether something has to change and what ”can be found.

One example is financial market regulation, where the Greens had apparently hoped for more change.

Ampel coalition agreement: Baerbock announces message - emphasizes measures to maintain hospital care

In a nutshell, Baerbock also summarized the message of the coalition agreement * presented on Wednesday (November 24). The document wants to show "that something can really change." It is a matter of bringing politics "up to date with reality and loosening the blockages that exist in our country's major future tasks". According to Baerbock, these include digitization, climate protection and social cohesion.

With regard to the corona pandemic, everyone is aware of the "drama of the situation", she told

.

Now everything has to be done to ensure “that hospital care remains secure and does not collapse”.

A catalog with seven acute measures has been presented for this purpose.

In addition, Baerbock was also satisfied with the planned federal-state crisis team and a scientific advisory board to combat the pandemic.

Baerbock on Corona: consistently enforce measures - Greens do not rule out lockdown and mandatory vaccination

Furthermore, according to Baerbock, it is now a matter of "consistently" enforcing the most diverse protective measures such as 2G, 2G-plus and 3G.

Further possible measures will apparently follow the examination of the expert council, indicated the Greens.

When asked about a possible further lockdown, Baerbock replied that she did not rule out “that further steps may be required, possibly more sweeping”. That is why it is important to make an “honest picture” in the next few days, because if necessary, it has to be sharpened quickly. To this end, the Bundestag finally demonstrated its ability to act quickly, said Baerbock and rejected the accusation of the parliament's slow reaction.

The Greens co-chairperson also addressed the debate on compulsory vaccination.

Although a general vaccination obligation is not ruled out, it would not acutely help to break the fourth wave, noted Baerbock.

“Before one could decide on a general vaccination requirement, it must be clarified what the legal basis is and which requirements must be met,” she underlined and added: “It needs vaccination doses that are immediately and sufficiently available, the vaccination facilities must be for this be secured everywhere. "

Baerbock: The traffic light coalition must curb global heating - phase out of coal coupled with expansion of renewable energies

In the coalition negotiations between the traffic light parties, climate policy always had a high priority and was possibly one of the biggest issues at stake. According to Baerbock, measures have now been laid down in the contract to get on the 1.5-degree path. "We have to do everything we can to at least slow down further global warming," said the Green politician. In view of the 1.2-degree warming that has already occurred, these are now the "decisive years in which to turn around". Four years would not be enough, but one can and must start.

Regarding the targeted phase-out of coal in 2030, Baerbock told

that with a CO2 price in European emissions trading of 60 euros per ton, coal-fired power plants would "no longer be worthwhile at the end of the decade". The national lower limit of 60 euros creates planning security for the industry if the European market price continues to fall: "Companies that switch to climate-neutral cement or steel can be sure that they will not waste their investments."

According to Baerbock, the phrase “ideally” in the coalition agreement probably indicates an exit as soon as renewable energies can replace coal.

The coal exit was "logically linked to the expansion of renewable energies" - the greatest effort according to the Green politician, whereby the expansion of renewable energies was defined in the coalition agreement as a "public interest".

Baerbock: no higher CO2 price due to social reasons - Greens relies on “strong guard rails” for the traffic turnaround

Not only the electricity sector, but also transport and industry need this, emphasized Baerbock. However, it rejected a higher CO2 price for transport and heating demanded by many experts. "In view of the skyrocketing energy prices, an additional price increase for social reasons would currently not be a good thing," she said. According to her, the price alone does not seem to matter.

However, she does not see the failure of a traffic turnaround due to the Ministry of Transport headed by the FDP.

Here she relies on the "strong guard rails" that have been anchored in the contract.

The coalition wants to support the Europe-wide phase-out of the fossil combustion engine by 2035, while also ensuring that there will be 15 million fully electric cars on German roads in 2030 and that the charging station infrastructure will be expanded.

The fact that the Ministry of Transport will be occupied by the FDP in the future does not seem to bother them: “You can't have everything, and in the coalition agreement we fought for the foundations for the drive turnaround.” Also with the departments of economy, environment and agriculture - according to Baerbock, “three key ministries of transformation ”- one can“ really change something ”in interaction.

Baerbock as Foreign Minister: European foreign policy is important for the Greens politician - criticism of Merkel over Lukashenko's call

In the future, the Greens co-chair Annalena Baerbock will be at the wheel of the Foreign Office.

For them it is clear: “A strong German foreign policy can only be a European one.” She had already announced this when the coalition agreement was presented.

In an interview with

Baerbock also pleaded

for a revival of the Weimar Triangle, because Warsaw, Berlin and Paris are crucial for Europe.

Regarding the events on the Belarusian-Polish border, she said that Europe was being blackmailed twice by Lukashenko: “On the one hand, refugees are being abused to divide Europe.

On the other hand, the government wants to be recognized by the Europeans as a dialogue partner, even though it is suppressing the opposition. "

One should not allow oneself to be blackmailed by dictators, was the clear message from Baerbock.

She spoke out in favor of tightened sanctions against the Belarusian rulers, but also emphasized diplomacy.

At this point, Baerbock criticized the Executive Chancellor Angela Merkel and her call to Lukashenko: “You cannot pursue a foreign policy without dialogue.

But it shouldn't have been the Chancellor who called Lukashenko. "

There is no simple solution to the problem.

"But it is important that Germany, the EU and Poland act together here," added the future foreign minister.

List of rubric lists: © Kay Nietfeld / dpa