As of: February 21, 2024, 8:28 p.m
By: Leonie Hudelmaier
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Split
A political scientist explains which points put the traffic light coalition under tension - and what the SPD, Greens and FDP are missing.
Munich
– More demonstrative unity is not possible.
Robert Habeck and Christian Lindner smile into the camera and caption their selfie with “Good News” – good news.
What the two of them actually wanted to announce two weeks ago was a new funding program for start-ups.
But what they announced between the lines: There are no arguments with us.
Officially.
In reality, the traffic light coalition is bickering.
The parties later vow to improve communication.
Is that even the problem?
“It's about much more than just a lack of communication - it's about a tough debate about the content,” says Albrecht von Lucke, political scientist and editor of the “Blätter für deutsche und internationalpolitik”, our newspaper.
Representatives of the traffic light coalition: Robert Habeck (Greens) with Christian Lindner (FDP) and Boris Pistorius (SPD) at government consultations in Berlin.
© Bernd von Jutrczenka/dpa
Disputes over economic issues in the traffic light coalition
Everything determines: “The disputes in the area of economics tower over everything – and run through the entire coalition,” says von Lucke.
And that's exactly where the FDP finance minister and the Green economics minister clash.
“Robert Habeck has the idea of an entrepreneurial state that stimulates the economy through loans, while Christian Lindner relies entirely on austerity, the black zero and the austerity state,” explains von Lucke.
Therefore, the question that could cause a break in the traffic light coalition is: “Where will the billions for the 2025 budget come from?”
The SPD parliamentary group has now even set up a steering group to work out a reform of the debt brake.
The Greens and the SPD are worried that there will be social cuts after the end of the Bundeswehr's special funds.
That's why the debate about citizens' money will probably become even more heated, as Lucke expects.
“The FDP will try to distinguish itself from the SPD and the Greens as the party that is prepared to make painful cuts in the social sector,” says von Lucke.
Reducing bureaucracy is a “huge issue” for the traffic light coalition
When it comes to reducing bureaucracy, the Greens and the FDP are urging each other to do more.
According to von Lucke, this is a “huge issue” because the FDP wants to use this for the European elections.
In order to further relieve the burden on the economy, Lindner is also campaigning for the abolition of the solidarity surcharge.
Habeck is skeptical and the SPD rejects the initiative.
It's not just the large projects where the traffic lights crunch - but they probably don't break.
“The smaller disputes, such as the Democracy Promotion Act or cannabis legalization, cannot really jeopardize the fundamental will to get the coalition across the stage - i.e. over the entire legislative period,” said von Lucke.
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And at least when it comes to the Growth Opportunities Act, the traffic lights are in agreement, and the Union is crossing the line.
An “external opponent” who can “hide one’s own turmoil in the short term,” says von Lucke.