Huge anger in the SPD towards FDP boss and Finance Minister Christian Lindner (44)!
The reason is the never-ending budget dispute in the traffic lights. Lindner has been blocking an agreement for days, according to the SPD. Consequence: Chancellor Olaf Scholz (65, SPD) arrived at the party conference WITHOUT a solution as to where the missing 30 billion euros for 2024 would come from.
The SPD state chairmen and prime ministers shake their heads.
▶︎ “You don’t do something like that to a coalition partner. “That’s crazy,” one person told BILD.
▶︎ Lower Saxony’s Prime Minister Stephan Weil (64) calls the behavior of Lindner and the FDP “bad”. He says: “The ‘opposition in the government’ strategy cannot work – not for the traffic lights, not for the FDP.”
Should the FDP get out of the traffic lights? App users vote here
In the SPD, the first people are speculating whether Lindner is gambling on a traffic light out. “Unfortunately, it has already happened with the FDP that it runs away in times of crisis. All hopes that it would now support the state seem to be wrong,” complains a leading comrade.
There is even speculation in SPD circles and among some FDP politicians whether Lindner deliberately wants to provoke an expulsion. “With his blockade stance, Lindner is gambling on being thrown out of the traffic lights,” says an SPD executive committee member. “He is afraid to go himself. If he were thrown out, he would portray himself as a martyr for the debt brake.”
The negotiations between Scholz, Economics Minister Robert Habeck (54, Greens) and Lindner got stuck shortly before the SPD party conference (runs from Friday to Sunday). Actually, the three traffic light men are said to have come pretty close to a solution: savings of double-digit billions, slight increases in revenue, suspension of the debt brake for military and civil aid to Ukraine.
But then, as the comrades say, Lindner made his opposition to the renewed suspension of the debt brake increasingly harsh. He insisted on pure savings. Agreement out of sight!
The gambling accusation is rejected in high-ranking FDP circles. Lindner emphasized from the start that the budget negotiations would take longer. The aim is a constitutionally compliant budget, not a quick fix.
He is fighting against FDP leader Lindner: SPD leader Lars Klingbeil (45) at the party conference with Chancellor Olaf Scholz
SPD party leader Lars Klingbeil (45), who was recently re-elected with 85.6 percent, spoke out in favor of suspending the debt brake again next year. He shouted in the direction of Lindner: The emergency can be clearly seen if you just open your eyes.
“Two hours by plane from here there is a nuclear power on the borders of Europe and forcing Ukraine into a war that violates international law.” One should not be in a situation where one has to choose between supporting Ukraine, social security and climate investments. “All three must be possible,” warned Klingbeil.
The SPD supported its Chancellor to negotiate hard. On Friday we went into the next round – digitally – with Lindner and Habeck. Things will continue in the Chancellery on Sunday.
As the Chancellor and his SPD see it, a solution must be found by Christmas. Lindner has no time pressure. He has the important three kings meeting of the FDP coming up on January 6th.
The struggle to save money – it becomes a question of who will hold their nerve and for how long.