As of: January 31, 2024, 1:29 p.m
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Friedrich Merz and Olaf Scholz at the general debate in the Bundestag.
© Kay Nietfeld/dpa
In the Bundestag's budget deliberations, the first speech duel of this year took place between Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) and CDU leader Friedrich Merz.
Berlin - Chancellor Olaf Scholz has defended the course of the traffic light coalition.
The SPD politician said at the general debate in the Bundestag that the coalition had made pace for two years where speed was necessary.
The coalition is in the process of working through everything that has been left behind in Germany.
“And there was a lot left behind.”
Scholz criticized the Union.
With regard to the previous CDU-led governments, the Chancellor said that there had been no expansion of the electricity grid in Germany, the expansion of renewable energies had not made any progress, and there had been no investments in the steel industry, in the semiconductor industry, or in battery factories in Germany.
All of these things are now taking place.
The Union shows no prospects for Germany, no industrial perspective and no perspective for jobs.
Scholz praises the traffic light's employment policy
Chancellor Olaf Scholz considers the employment policy of his traffic light coalition with the Greens and FDP to be a complete success.
“Germany has the highest level of employment in history that we have ever recorded,” said the SPD politician.
“Never before have so many employees been employed,” emphasized Scholz.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz considers the traffic light coalition's employment policy to be a complete success.
© Kay Nietfeld/dpa
Scholz also praised the increase in the minimum wage.
The incomes of those who earn little have been improved, also with the help of housing benefit and child benefit increases and supplements.
The coalition has reduced taxes several times and relieved the burden on the working middle class.
She wants to continue pursuing this course.
The Chancellor opposed suggestions from CDU chairman and Union faction leader Friedrich Merz to increase the retirement age.
This “uncertainty about the life prospects of employees” is not okay.
Scholz feels reminded of the darkest times in history
In his speech, Scholz demonstratively stood behind demonstrators who are currently taking to the streets for democracy and against right-wing extremist views.
“When conferences take place in country houses in this country, where discussions are held about how part of the population can be brought out of this country - 'remigration' as the keyword - that is reminiscent of the darkest times in German history,” said the SPD politician.
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Many people are now afraid that they will have to leave the country.
“And that’s why I think we need a very clear commitment from all of us at this point: We stand in front of these citizens, they don’t have to be afraid,” emphasized Scholz.
Scholz accuses Merz of being sensitive
Chancellor Olaf Scholz has accused Union faction leader Friedrich Merz of sensitivity and a lack of ability to cooperate.
Merz does what is his right against the federal government every day, said the SPD politician.
“But if you are criticized then you are a mimosa.
I think anyone who boxes shouldn't have a glass chin.
But you have a really nice glass chin, Mr. Merz.”
Scholz accused the CDU chairman of having ended talks about cooperation to curb irregular migration.
“I've never experienced such hare-footedness, running away from one's own responsibility, Mr. Merz.
I have never seen so much cowardice in the face of one's own courage.” The Chancellor added that he believed the reason for this was that the CDU leader wanted to keep “the beautiful topic”.
If you get it under control, he would no longer be able to say that everything is going wrong.
Merz fundamentally rejects cooperation with Ampel
Union parliamentary group leader Friedrich Merz has fundamentally rejected any possible joint action with the traffic light coalition.
“Please spare yourself and us your calls for cooperation in the future,” said the CDU chairman in the general debate on the 2024 budget in the Bundestag.
“These calls are nothing more than pure political rhetoric.”
CDU leader Friedrich Merz is not interested in working with the traffic light coalition.
© Michael Kappeler/dpa
The experiences of the past two years have shown that the coalition is not seriously interested in real cooperation, criticized Merz.
Where the Union has agreed, as with the special fund for the Bundeswehr, the government is not sticking to the agreements.
The CDU leader emphasized that they were therefore very cautious when it came to further changes to the Basic Law.
He once again ruled out agreeing to a weakening of the debt brake.
“You can’t expect that.”
Merz welcomed the large demonstrations against right-wing radicalism in many cities.
“The AFD voters are not all right-wing radicals, but they are all pretty frustrated,” he said.
The solution to the problem is obviously that the coalition must solve the country's problems.
The parliamentary group leader sharply attacked the AfD: “Xenophobia, anti-Semitism and nationalism go hand in hand with you, as do close relations with Russia and a deep-seated anti-American complex.” The message to the AfD was: “Enough is enough.
You are not the 'alternative for Germany', you would be the final relegation for Germany, and not just economically, but above all morally." We will oppose this with all our might.
dpa