As of: 03/27/2023 4:59 p.m
Meeting since Sunday evening, no result yet: the traffic light coalition have had to interrupt their top meeting. Several participants want to travel to the German-Dutch government consultations. It’s supposed to continue tomorrow.
The traffic light coalition of SPD, Greens and FDP has temporarily interrupted their top-level talks. The coalition committee had “meeted on important modernization issues in the country,” it said in a statement. The parties involved “made a lot of progress in trusting and constructive discussions”.
Matthias Deiß, ARD Berlin, on the key points of the coalition dispute
Tagesschau 4:00 p.m., 27.3.2023
However, the meeting was interrupted because of the German-Dutch government consultations in Rotterdam, which Chancellor Olaf Scholz and several ministers want to attend. The coalition committee is to continue on Tuesday.
Little information leaked out during the committee meeting. The talks are particularly about the question of accelerating planning for infrastructure measures, said government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit. “And there are many conflicting goals to be clarified.” For example, it is important to reconcile the desire for faster expansion of renewable energies, roads and rails with affordability, predictability and the future of industrial production in Germany.
Greens demand more effort from Wissing
The consultations in the Chancellery began early Sunday evening. Scholz was optimistic that there would be concrete results. The heads of the coalition wanted to work through a long list of points of contention. In the run-up to this, climate protection in transport was identified as the biggest topic of conflict. The federal government must reverse the trend here.
According to the Federal Environment Agency, greenhouse gas emissions in this area have recently increased instead of decreasing. The Greens in particular are demanding more effort from Transport Minister Volker Wissing. However, its FDP strictly rejects, for example, a general speed limit on German autobahns, as well as a reform of company car taxation.
FDP for slimmed down exams
But these are not the only measures that could be considered. The Federal Environment Agency and environmental organizations are calling for a bonus-malus system for newly registered cars: the purchase of climate-friendly cars with low CO2 emissions should be promoted, and the purchase of cars with particularly high emissions should be made more expensive. It is questionable whether the FDP can agree to such a step – as well as a reform of the commuter allowance.
Without concrete measures for more climate protection in traffic, however, the Greens are unlikely to agree to faster construction of motorway routes. The FDP wants not only railway lines and bridges to be built faster, but also certain motorways. In addition, one could, for example, test the environmental compatibility with less effort. In the run-up to the coalition committee, the compromise was an agreement on selected projects such as routes on which there are already constant traffic jams.
Supposedly a compromise to end oil heating
The tone in the coalition had also recently become rough on other issues – such as the replacement of oil and gas heating systems. The basic idea has actually long been agreed in the coalition: from 2024, if possible, only new heating systems that are operated with at least 65 percent renewable energy should be installed. In fact, this means the end of conventional oil and gas heating systems.
Habeck poured that into a controversial bill. SPD and FDP both emphasize that homeowners and tenants should not be overwhelmed. In search of a compromise, the traffic light had already progressed before the summit meeting – without details leaking out so far.
Paus reports a need of 12 billion euros
There is also a need for clarification on the financing of basic child security. From 2025, this should bundle state benefits for families and children. What is disputed is what should be included. Family Minister Lisa Paus wants an increase because, in her opinion, the previous aid does not adequately combat child poverty.
It has therefore announced a need of twelve billion euros. Finance Minister Christian Lindner does not consider an increase to be imperative because the coalition has just raised child benefits.
FDP refers to the outstanding federal budget
In any case, the three governing parties have different opinions when it comes to spending money. Before the coalition committee, FDP politicians repeatedly urged discipline in finances – especially with a view to the federal budget for 2024 that is now pending.
“All coalition parties must recognize the current fiscal realities,” said General Secretary Bijan Djir-Sarai. But the three parties had no common basic understanding.