Scholz sharply rejects the attacks by Merz in the Bundestag.
(Photo: dpa)
Berlin Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) and Union faction leader Friedrich Merz (CDU) had an unusually sharp verbal exchange of blows in the Bundestag on Wednesday. “Anyone who talks about division endangers cohesion in this country. And that’s the wrong thing to do now,” Scholz countered Merz in the general debate on the future federal budget. With clear words and surprisingly loud, Scholz rejected the CDU leader’s criticism of the traffic light government’s decisions to support citizens and the economy in view of high energy prices.
Addressing Merz, the Chancellor said: “Don’t underestimate our country. Don’t underestimate the citizens of this country.” Scholz added: “In difficult times, our country surpasses itself. We have a good tradition of linking arms when things get difficult.”
Scholz repeatedly accused the Union of serious omissions during the reign of then Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU). “This is irresponsible CDU policy,” said Scholz in the Bundestag.
The SPD politician also accuses the Union of having failed in energy policy during her term in office. The current traffic light government ensured early on that the gas storage facilities would be filled, says Scholz. The CDU/CSU would not have seen the problem of empty saves. “We solved it before you even realized there was one,” says Scholz.
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Scholz, however, swears that the country will close ranks with a view to winter. “We will stick together,” says Scholz in the general debate in the German Bundestag. “You’ll never walk alone – that’s the motto of this government.” He was certain that Germany would solve the problems together.
“Stop this madness”
Merz had previously sharply criticized the plan by Federal Minister of Economics Robert Habeck (Greens) not to let the last three remaining nuclear power plants in Germany continue to operate normally next year. “Stop this madness,” shouted Merz. Merz warned that the decision could irrevocably damage Germany as a business location. “What you are doing now is a bad compromise,” he continued to accuse Scholz.
With the decision to build nuclear power plants, Germany as a business location may be irrevocably damaged, Merz warned.
(Photo: dpa)
Federal Minister of Economics Robert Habeck (Greens) wants to keep two of the three remaining nuclear power plants ready for use as an emergency reserve until mid-April. In the course of the nuclear phase-out, all German nuclear power plants should have been finally shut down at the end of this year. The FDP and Union, on the other hand, are pushing for all three power plants to continue operating because of the energy crisis.
Merz also demands that the gas levy planned from October 1st be stopped. The Union will put an application to the Bundestag for a vote this week, he says. The levy means new burdens for consumers and companies and was “a bad design from the start”.
More: How much relief for the economy is possible?