Which issues should dominate politics this year?
(Photo: dpa)
Dusseldorf Since the federal election, the traffic light coalition has lost approval, at least in election polls. If the SPD, Greens and FDP had reached 52 percent at the time, according to the opinion research institute Infratest Dimap, they would now only get 43 percent. A similar mood can be seen in the letters from the Handelsblatt readership. There are those who are demanding a complete resignation “because the governing parties have very different world views and the chancellor is not able to moderate”.
Others are not quite as drastic, although often critical. One reader of the traffic light coalition gives her work to date a three plus, another reader is basically “satisfied with the work of the federal government, especially when you consider that it is a three-party constellation and the political positions are often far apart”.
Just as the three parties discussed the right course for 2023 at their respective annual kick-off meetings, we also asked the Handelsblatt readers what they wanted from the traffic light coalition in the new year. These include specific demands, such as more arms deliveries to Ukraine, that the energy transition is “finally implemented consistently nationwide” and a hospital and healthcare workforce reform.
Someone else is calling for the traffic light government to focus more on younger people. Proposals include “acceptable and sustainable financing of statutory pension insurance” and a “fundamental tax reform”. The climate crisis, “which is developing into damage for the younger generations for which it is not the cause,” is relevant.
We have put together a selection for you from the letters from the Handelsblatt readers.
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Basically satisfied
“Basically, I am satisfied with the work of the federal government, especially when you consider that it is a three-party constellation and the political positions are often far apart. Double boom and a 100 billion package for the Bundeswehr were also necessary, albeit suboptimal, means.
What will help people in Germany in the future is an approach by the federal government that focuses on the citizen and thus also the economy.
This includes leaving party ideologies behind, creating a realistic and interest-driven foreign policy and political framework conditions in the energy sector that are not determined by blanket bans, but by promising investments.”
Peter Schuch
Balance sheet: three plus
“According to the Peter principle, there are top politicians who are simply overwhelmed: the defense minister has no clue about the Bundeswehr and doesn’t leave a blunder, the transport minister gets bogged down in umpteen uncoordinated infrastructure construction sites instead of pushing digitization into focus!
As Foreign Minister, Anna-Lena Baerbock is in the right place at the right time, and Robert Habeck is certainly not an economics guru, but he has excellent communication skills! The climate targets should be cut back temporarily: Münchhausen says hello if Germany buys nuclear power from dilapidated Belgian reactors instead of bringing its own reactors back on the grid!
Balance sheet: three plus. The traffic light covers a broad spectrum of the population, which at least digs water out of the right-hand fringe.”
Barbara Schmidt
To resign!
“The German government should resign. It has such poor ratings in the polls because the governing parties have very different world views and the chancellor is unable to moderate. The Secretary of Defense should be replaced immediately. The chancellor overestimates himself. He is not able to lead a country like Germany. This will not change.”
Gert Peters
The worst government imaginable
“Just reading your articles in the Handelsblatt and Morning Briefing alone has to conclude that, albeit in difficult times, we have the worst government imaginable.
Incapable of recognizing connections, incapable of grasping politics as a form of feasibility, ideologically controlled, completely alienated from the idea of performance, politics is pursued with the moral index finger (see Qatar).
One rejects the idea of performance (Esken, Kühnert). Still rooted in pacifism (Mützenich, Klingbeil). The Chancellor involved in financial scandals, incompetent actors as far as the eye can see: Habeck, Baerbock, Lambrecht, Roth on the government bench; Nouripuour, Lang; Goering-Eckardt, …. in parliament.
The world laughs at us, and rightly so. Thank God the silent majority is so strong and responsible that this ‘amateur crowd’ won’t be able to drive the cart back into the wall.”
Joachim Popp
Yellow is in greatest need
“Because cars go all over the place
in public transport,
signs should stand and lights should burn,
so we can call that order.
In the case of the latter, it was thought
that this can be useful in Berlin.
Doesn’t a traffic light help?
to reach the destination accident-free.
But who builds on this parable
and then look at the government
who realizes that people and machines
do not deserve equal trust here.
Because during traffic light colourfulness
exclusively burns in its time,
it goes in the party race
about always burning permanently.
Colors become green and red
often brown, but the greatest need
has yellow, it always shines too briefly,
and that rhymes with election crash.”
Oliver Dange
A lot to do
“Replace the secretary of defense immediately for a man who has served; preferably Hans Peter Bartels!
A uniform nationwide corona policy, which is still characterized by caution and is quickly coordinated across Europe.
Immediate delivery of all available military material to Ukraine; this heroic country is fighting our war.
The energy turnaround, which could have been much further since the initiation of the EEG in 2000, should finally be consistently implemented nationwide, many more PV and wind energy systems.
Push through the hospital reform and a health workforce reform so that clinics and their staff can finally provide their indispensable services for the people again.
Uwe H. Burghardt
>> Read also: Weak poll numbers – The coalition is working on a fresh start
Looking ahead with courage and determination
“Restore law and order so that you can feel safe as a citizen of the country. Whether it’s criminals on New Year’s Eve or criminals blocking roads and airports – toughness has to be shown here and nothing can be hushed up for moral reasons.
And of course it is important to look ahead with courage and determination. Germany can do so much more and we don’t have to talk ourselves down. If I have negative thoughts, nothing positive can happen.”
rainerhoevelmann on Instagram
Pay more attention to the younger ones
“I hope that the traffic light government will meet the need for reforms, which is particularly evident among young people, in the coming year. In my opinion, not only during the pandemic, but also during the 16-year reign of Angela Merkel, this group has not been sufficiently considered.
Trending topics would be, for example, the abolition of church privileges and the clear separation of church and state, sustainable financing of statutory pension insurance that is sustainable for younger generations and a fundamental tax reform that not only simplifies the currently inexplicable system, but also emphasizes tax neutrality, so that private and economic decisions are no longer determined by tax legislation. Also worth mentioning is the long-awaited cannabis legalization and of course the climate crisis, which is developing into damage for the younger generations for which it is not the cause.
Despite the crises that will probably continue in 2023, the traffic light government should neglect neither its progress program nor the interests of young people.”
L Hoffman
War in Ukraine, energy transition and inflation
“Biggest mistakes are being made as a result of the federal government’s increasingly escalating war drive. How many deaths will there be before everyone who cares about human life and rights finally pushes for negotiations – without preconditions!
Sustainable energy transition: yes, absolutely – but gas for as long as it is necessary. Lift sanctions that only cut off our own raw materials. This is the only way to stop the inflation that is eating up the modest wealth of maybe 80 percent of the population.”
Marianne Schweinesbein
Address pressing issues
“Instead of managing the status quo, the urgent problems should finally be tackled, some of which have simply been postponed for decades into the future. A pension and health care reform is finally needed, long-term and realistic strategies are needed with regard to one’s own competitiveness, the climate crisis and the procurement of resources.
And what is needed above all is sensible investment in the national economy in the form of better education, good infrastructure (particularly public transport), digitization of administration and a reduction in bureaucracy. The funds are there, but unfortunately they seep away in a despondent and inefficient bureaucratic apparatus. The most successful companies are not those that manage what has been achieved so far, but those that consciously demand and actively shape changes.
I wish for at least a beginning.”
Marco Scholl
If you would like to have your say on this topic in the Handelsblatt, write us a comment, either by e-mail [email protected] or on Instagram at @handelsblatt.
More: After the turbulent investor year 2022, Handelsblatt readers debated in the past week where it is worth getting started in the new year.