The first traffic light project “could, for example, be a roadmap for the expansion of renewable energies,” said Tschentscher, and did not rule out an earlier coal phase-out.
“The sooner we can develop renewable energies and power lines, the sooner we can get out of coal.” The SPD politician was confident that a traffic light coalition “could be in place later this year”.
Tschentscher warned the Greens against seeking their luck in a Jamaica coalition led by the Union. “Whoever forms a coalition with the Union, the same blockades would be preprogrammed that the SPD has experienced in the past four years,” said Tschentscher. The CDU is “conservative in a negative sense, it is afraid of change and has no positive idea for the future.”
Since the interview was held on Monday, a question about the searches of the former Hamburg member of the Bundestag Johannes Kahrs could not yet be asked.
Read the entire interview here:
Mr. Tschentscher, hand on heart: Did you expect such an election victory for the SPD?
In any case, I pointed out early on that political experience shows that the closer the election date comes, the stronger the moods become concrete considerations. It was only in the last few weeks of the election campaign that many became aware that Angela Merkel was no longer available as Chancellor. It was therefore to be expected that the strengths of our candidate for chancellor would have a significant impact on the election result.
Did you seriously expect to be ahead of the Union?
No, the percentage points cannot be predicted that specifically. But we as the SPD already had the goal of getting well over 20 percent and then appointing the chancellor.
How confident are you that a traffic light will come about?
I think that’s feasible. The differences are always worked out in the election campaign. But when the dust of the election conflict has settled, everyone will recognize the situation and must see the responsibility that the largest country in Europe needs a stable government. For this, the SPD, Greens and FDP should make themselves aware of their similarities.
Which are they?
All three parties have an idea for the future, with different focuses, but similar in many areas. We are innovative and want to advance digitization. There are also similarities in education policy, in our ideas about civil and freedom rights, in our attitudes towards democracy, diversity and tolerance. I see a great chance that the three parties will come together in a traffic light coalition.
What does Olaf Scholz have to offer FDP boss Christian Lindner in terms of tax policy so that he strikes into a traffic light coalition?
That is precisely the point of coalition negotiations, to find solutions for them. Nobody can put their party program 100 percent in the coalition agreement. The point now is not to put the party interests first, but rather to ensure that Germany is developing well. This way of thinking must come to the fore after the election campaign.
What a coalition with the Union would mean
Were you surprised at the initial reluctance of the Greens when it comes to traffic lights? It is said that Green leader Robert Habeck is not so enthusiastic about a traffic light because then his plan to replace the SPD as the strongest left-wing political force could not work for a long time.
These are party tactical considerations. Whoever forms a coalition with the Union, the same blockades would be preprogrammed that the SPD has experienced in the past four years.
So are you ruling out a new grand coalition under the leadership of the SPD? That would also be possible.
Much has been left behind in the CDU departments in the coalition with the Union. The CDU is conservative in a negative sense, it is afraid of change and has no positive idea for the future.
Can Olaf Scholz inspire the Greens with an earlier coal exit from a traffic light?
That is also a question for coalition negotiations. The faster we can expand renewable energies and power lines, the sooner we can get out of coal. That will be discussed with the FDP and the Greens. Faster approval procedures, for example, are the decisive prerequisite for a faster expansion of renewable energies.
First of all, the Greens and the FDP want to talk to each other before they talk to the SPD. Does this make sense?
Anyone can talk to anyone. The SPD approached the other parties so that the explorations and hopefully also the coalition negotiations can begin quickly.
First big project of a traffic light
What could the first big project of a traffic light be?
For example, a roadmap for expanding renewable energies. If we make enough renewable electricity available, companies will make the necessary private sector investments for technological change, and we will make faster progress with climate protection than some skeptics think.
Are there red lines for the SPD in the negotiations? A minimum wage of twelve euros?
You cannot hold coalition talks by making public reproaches. All points must be discussed with one another.
Will the left wing of the party remain as calm as before if Olaf Scholz has to make big concessions to Christian Lindner?
In many issues such as climate protection, the expansion of infrastructure or the modernization of industry, the goals are clear, we just have to make progress at last. It is not a question of left and right.
Tax policy does.
We have a concept that is supported by the entire SPD. If we come closer to our goals with the coalition agreement, that will also be borne by the entire party.
So there is no need for a member vote that party vice Kevin Kühnert brought into play?
That would be conceivable, but there are also other ways of getting the party to vote.
So is there a vote by the party executive or by a party congress?
We’ll decide when the time comes. For example, we unanimously nominated our candidate for chancellor in the party executive committee and then confirmed them at a digital party conference.
By when should the coalition negotiations be completed?
The coalition negotiations on the Jamaica Alliance could have been concluded in 2017 if the course went normally by the end of the year. A traffic light coalition could also be in place later this year. But in the end, the following applies: thoroughness takes precedence over speed.
Mr. Laschet has also formulated a government mandate for the CDU. What do you make of it?
It is understandable that the Union is now trying to save what can be saved. But if you look at the overall circumstances soberly, the matter is clear: the loss of confidence in the Union, the gains made by the SPD and the Greens, the clear polls that a large majority want Olaf Scholz as the next chancellor, none of this is definitely a government mandate for the CDU.
More: Finances, pensions, climate, digitization – where the trouble spots of the possible coalitions are