At the beginning of the coalition, the parties of the Federal Minister of Finance and the Federal Minister of Economics were seen as drivers of progress.
(Photo: dpa)
Robert Habeck and Christian Lindner are the Houdinis of the traffic light coalition. The world-famous magician couldn’t have done a better job of the Federal Minister of Finance’s debt illusion. The FDP leader is complying with the debt brake, which has long since ceased to exist in view of the shadow budgets worth billions. In terms of budget, everything seems to be in order. But accumulating hundreds of billions of euros in new debt and arguing that it has nothing to do with the budget is great magic.
At the weekend, the Federal Minister of Economics will be demonstrating a new trick on the stage of the Green party conference. He wants to make the audience believe that the energy supply is secure and that one can therefore do without further capacities from nuclear power.
The trick fascinates. According to the International Monetary Fund, the German economy is slacking off, and the state is subsidizing citizens and businesses with huge amounts. However, the federal government can refrain from accessing its own energy sources such as nuclear power, fracking gas or coal beyond 2030. This requires a lot of scenery shifting.
But politics is not a magic show. The situation is too serious. Habeck and Lindner should pull themselves together and remember the beginnings of the progressive coalition. At that time, the FDP and the Greens dictated the agenda to Olaf Scholz.
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The liberals and the eco-party were seen as the drivers of progress for the country’s transformation into a socio-ecological market economy. Both are now even Greta fans, albeit for different reasons. Today Habeck and Lindner got wedged in each other, although they could actually unleash each other. For the good of the country.
>> Read here: FDP General Secretary on longer nuclear power plant runtimes: “Greens have totally gone ideologically wrong”
The family entrepreneurs take to the streets on Friday and protest for a secure energy supply. If the two ministers shouldn’t listen to that, then they should take a look at Germany at the limit again. Economy and citizens do not need an ideological federal party congress and no political choking.
Coalitions usually do not burst with a big bang. It is almost always preceded by an agonizing process of alienation. Nobody can want that in the middle of the Ukraine crisis. Habeck and Lindner should consider a compromise after the talks with Chancellor Scholz about the continued operation of the nuclear power plants. Speed limit against nuclear power until 2024: why not? Even Greta would agree.
More: No green light for Habeck’s nuclear power plant term draft law – Lindner annoys the Minister of Economic Affairs