Anyone who turned on the radio on Thursday morning could hear Free Voters faction leader Florian Streibl lifting his leg and marking his territory. Of course, figuratively speaking, God forbid! It’s about the “sovereignty of interpretation” in the coalition, Streibl told Bayerischer Rundfunk and emphasized the “competition” with the CSU. He literally said: “Everyone stakes out their own territory.” Streibl is sure to make the headlines, and of course there is now talk of “turf wars” between the coalition partners. But is that the whole truth? Or are you taking Streibl a bit for granted?
The territory in this case is the rural area, which the CSU and FW have been fighting over for a long time. The CSU would now like to allow minors to drive who find it difficult to get to their teaching place in rural areas by bus or train. Because it says something similar in the coalition agreement, Streibl complains that the CSU is “selling joint plans as its own ideas.” From his point of view, this is “a reflex to no longer be perceived as a carer in the area.” Streibl believes that “the CSU just needs to go out and listen to the people – like we Free Voters do.” Take that, CSU!
Of course, the times when the Bavarian coalition was the harmonious counter-model to Berlin’s “chaos traffic light” are history. At least since the state elections, when the FW again diligently stole CSU votes. People now not only work with each other, but also against each other. But, and this is now the point: Gone are the days when the FW were a conspiratorial bunch. The FW parliamentary group is divided because of party leader Hubert Aiwanger, whose right-wing leanings are not to everyone’s liking. By the way, neither does Streibl, but he has to hold the place together somehow. That’s his job as group leader. Well, does something ring a bell?
What is now being discussed is the turf war issue that Streibl himself set. And not about something that makes him much more uncomfortable: the battle for direction within his own ranks. If there are rumblings in your own shop, an external opponent is still the best method to close the ranks again. Clever, this Streibl.