The federal Jusos congress was already approaching its end on Saturday evening, when an old friend made a remarkable appearance: Kevin Kühnert, the former chairman of the SPD youngsters. His contribution is announced as a “greeting” – and, yes, after this quarter of an hour on the stage in a Frankfurt gymnasium, his message, which is addressed to the designated Chancellor Olaf Scholz and his traffic light alliance, can be summed up with the words: “With Greetings from Kevin Kühnert. “
Kühnert quickly gets to the point. It’s about the coalition agreement, which he – meanwhile party vice – negotiated and which describes the government program of the SPD, FDP and the Greens. He now wants to “speak a little bit politically”.
You have to know: In the morning, party colleague Olaf Scholz was still at this point and had advertised the “departure” that he sees as linked to the traffic light alliance. Basically, many Jusos see the next government like him as an opportunity. Kühnert’s successor at the Jusos, Jessica Rosenthal, immediately assured Scholz that her people would support him.
There were a few speakers who criticized the coalition agreement, for example in refugee and housing policy, including finances. Some vented their anger at the FDP, which prevented so many reforms. But Scholz did not want the alliance to be badmouthed. He said that he found it more sensible “to deal more with the Union than with those with whom we now want to venture out here”. This is “just a little tip from me” to the Jusos.
Kühnert, who had made his way to the federal congress in the afternoon, followed what was going on in Frankfurt on the way. It might have been a bit too harmonious for him. In any case, he doesn’t even think about sparing the FDP. In its working group, which had negotiated the areas of rent and housing, the SPD was unable to enforce some of its demands.
“Kafkaesque Situations”
In terms of tenancy law, what he would have wished for was “not even rudimentarily achieved,” he said. The FDP is to blame for this. All sorts of loopholes that made rents more expensive remained – “because of the FDP”. There were “Kafkaesque situations” in the working group – because the FDP saw no need for action at all in tenancy law. When it came down to the fact that 100,000 of the 400,000 new homes to be built each year should be publicly funded, they first had to explain to the FDP that this was not referring to home ownership.
Scholz wants peace. Bold the argument. Such criticism must be addressed without tearing the new coalition apart. “We have to train ourselves that,” said Kühnert. He went on, after all, that was the day when “you can give tips here” – an allusion to Scholz’s appearance.
Kühnert thinks that you shouldn’t be afraid to say that you can imagine governing with other parties. Scholz, on the other hand, is working on a completely different narrative: the SPD, Greens and FDP should compete with the claim to be re-elected. In the morning, Juso boss Rosenthal had said to Scholz that she was looking forward to the next four years. Then Scholz had interrupted her: “Four?” “At least four,” she hurriedly followed. As far as the traffic light is concerned, Kühnert has already expressed doubts.