The SPD and Liberals in particular are taking a tough stance when it comes to supporting Ukraine. Right in the middle: FDP defense politician Strack-Zimmermann. And the Greens are annoyed with the Chancellor.
The dispute over Ukraine policy is intensifying in the traffic light coalition. The parliamentary managing director of the SPD parliamentary group, Katja Mast, accused the FDP politician Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann of “low-level and malicious” statements.
The chairwoman of the Defense Committee and her party’s leading European candidate had previously accused the SPD of “appeasement” politics on Deutschlandfunk and had moved SPD parliamentary group leader Rolf Mützenich close to the positions of the AfD and BSW.
Still in trouble about that Defense Committee
Mast also accused Strack-Zimmermann of serious failings as chairwoman of the Defense Committee. Information from Inspector General Carsten Breuer about “Taurus” cruise missiles leaked out from a secret meeting last week. More than 100 people were present at the meeting.
Bundestag President Bärbel Bas (SPD) also expressed surprise that Strack-Zimmermann had allowed this. She replied that the committee had 38 full members, and depending on the topic, some of their deputies were also there. But two thirds come from ministries, the Chancellery, the Federal President’s Office, secret services and state representations of the federal states – that is documented law. However, she wants to reduce the number of participants at certain meetings.
The SPD’s defense policy spokesman, Wolfgang Hellmich, called for consequences. The question arises as to how Strack-Zimmermann can still lead the committee “independently and trustingly”: “I will therefore suggest that these and other questions be discussed in a group of democratic representatives without the committee chairwoman.”
“In the direction of taking the work away from the Russians”
Strack-Zimmermann rejected the allegations of the other coalition politicians. She had also pointed out that Thuringia’s AfD leader Björn Höcke and BSW leader Sahra Wagenknecht welcomed the SPD parliamentary group leader’s statement about “freezing” the conflict in Ukraine. Mützenich “is moving in the direction of taking the work off the hands of the Russians,” said Strack-Zimmermann. Mützenich’s statement is “scandalous” because he “turns away from the foreign policy of the Federal Republic of Germany.”
Mast justified her accusation of “maliciousness” by ignoring the fact that her parliamentary group leader had used the word “freeze” as a question and that he was also one of the staunchest supporters of greater military aid for Ukraine.
The first parliamentary managing director of the FDP parliamentary group, Johannes Vogel, supported his parliamentary group colleague Strack-Zimmermann: “I forbid attacks on our committee chairs from other parliamentary groups – especially from parliamentary groups that support this coalition.” The starting point for the debate was Mützenich’s misleading formulations, which raised doubts about the coalition’s course. There is also suspicion of betrayal of secrets, which is a criminal offense. The SPD should rather work with the FDP to bring about the economic turnaround in Germany.
“There’s nothing ridiculous about it”
The Greens, in turn, are annoyed by the Chancellor’s criticism of the “Taurus” debate. Co-party leader Katharina Dröge criticized Scholz for his comment that the German debate about aid to Ukraine “cannot be surpassed in terms of ridiculousness.” She announced that the Greens would continue to lead it: “There is nothing ridiculous about it, as some people think. This is not a debate that can be ended at any point.”
In recent weeks, Green and FDP politicians in particular have criticized the Chancellor’s decision not to supply Ukraine with “Taurus” cruise missiles. Dozens of traffic light parliamentarians put their dissenting opinions on record during a Bundestag debate. Strack-Zimmermann even voted twice with a motion from the opposition Union.
Top trio tries hard Coalition climate
Only the evening before, Scholz, Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck (Greens) and Finance Minister Christian Lindner (FDP) had sworn to the unity of the traffic light coalition. It would be an advantage that “the spirit for the entire government would be rekindled,” the Chancellor said at an SPD event in which Habeck and Lindner also took part.
Because of the recent great tensions at the traffic lights, Scholz also answered questions from the FDP parliamentary group for two hours on Tuesday.
Gabor Halasz, ARD Berlin, tagesschau, March 20, 2024 3:00 p.m