Status: 05.11.2021 9:57 a.m.
There are still hardly any details from the traffic light negotiations – but the nervousness is apparently increasing. Green leader Baerbock sees problems with “central construction sites” – and does not rule out an extension of the talks.
The Greens chairwoman Annalena Baerbock has admitted differences in the coalition negotiations with the SPD and FDP on climate policy and has not ruled out an extension. “We need a new federal government that achieves change in this country, which not only writes progress on paper, but also solves it in the essential core areas,” she told the RBB.
With a view to the desired coalition agreement, she added: “We cannot yet say when it will be finished, because we do not yet see that we can say that we can say that we can say when we are working on central construction sites. This renewal of the country should take place in the next four months Years. And four days more or less do not matter in the talks. “
When it comes to the climate “not yet that far”
Baerbock did not want to give any details from the negotiations. Confidentiality has been agreed. The climate protection task would have to be cross-sectional through a new federal government. “Then not only one party can be responsible for it,” she said. This applies above all to the construction sector and the transport sector, where greenhouse gas emissions have so far not fallen sufficiently. “We are not yet ready to say that we have now set the course for getting on the 1.5-degree path.”
In addition to climate protection, she also named the modernization of administration and the condition of schools as central tasks. “That is why it is important to us that we say in these coalition talks what are the decisive levers that we will tackle with a new government next year. In our view, we are not yet ready to say: in a few weeks we can put a lid on it. ” The Federal Managing Director of the Greens, Michael Kellner, had recently shown himself dissatisfied with the talks. “We are currently seeing too little progress in terms of the substance of the content,” he said.
Dreyer confident
The Rhineland-Palatinate Prime Minister Malu Dreyer, on the other hand, does not see the schedule for forming the first traffic light coalition in the federal government in jeopardy, despite the dissonances in the negotiations between the SPD, the Greens and the FDP. “We negotiate in a good atmosphere. And that it jerks every now and then is the most normal thing in the world,” said the SPD politician on ZDF. “I am very confident that these talks will continue in a positive way.” The traffic light parties have a common goal to create the great challenges with each other. She is therefore optimistic that SPD candidate Olaf Scholz will be elected Chancellor as planned in St. Nicholas Week. “That is our goal and I am confident that we can achieve it too.”
The negotiations had not progressed as quickly as the SPD, Greens and FDP had hoped. According to negotiators, the three parties decided not to publish a further detailed timetable on Thursday after an interim review of the negotiations in the 22 working groups.
In the past few days there had evidently been primarily a dispute over tax policy. For example, FDP boss Christian Lindner criticized the potential partners for their statements on tax policy, according to which the FDP brakes on tax relief for medium-sized companies and low-wage earners. It is “a myth that relief for the working middle class can only be financed with compensatory tax increases elsewhere,” said Lindner of “Bild am Sonntag”. SPD Chancellor candidate Olaf Scholz and Green leader Robert Habeck, among others, recently stated that tax relief for lower and middle incomes was not possible because the FDP refused to counter-finance the tax increase for top earners.
FDP defends itself in tax policy
“Unfortunately, I take from public statements by the chairmen of the SPD and the Greens that both apparently no longer pursue the relief of low and normal wage earners,” said Lindner. It is now “reality that the SPD and the Greens, after their election campaigns for more redistribution, are ruling out the FDP’s demand for tax relief for everyone. We have to accept that.” But: “The aim of strengthening the center should not become a standstill program,” said Linder, emphasizing his party’s willingness to continue discussions.
The traffic light parties have set a tight schedule and want to elect Scholz as the new Federal Chancellor in the week from December 6th. To do this, however, they would have to conclude the negotiations in the second half of November so that the party committees or special party congresses can approve a coalition agreement in good time.