Status: 05.12.2021 2:08 p.m.
The FDP votes on the traffic light coalition agreement at a special party conference. Party leader Lindner campaigned for the contract in front of the delegates. At the same time, he called on his party for a debate about compulsory corona vaccination.
The FDP chairman Christian Lindner has campaigned vehemently in his party for the coalition agreement negotiated with the SPD and the Greens. “It is a coalition agreement for a policy of the center that does not move our country to the left, but wants to lead it forward,” said Lindner at a digital party congress of the Liberals, which is supposed to vote on the treaty.
The FDP sees itself in the future coalition with the SPD and the Greens as a guarantor of a course of the middle: “The Free Democrats are not available for a left turn in Germany because we already have a lot of left politics in our country,” said Lindner.
New departure, solid finances, digitization
The FDP leader, who is to become finance minister in the planned traffic light coalition, emphasized, among other things, that the contract contained the renewal of the liberal promise of education and promotion. It stands for a socio-political awakening, provides solid finances and includes the digitization of state and society.
Lindner paid particular tribute to the presumably next Chancellor, Olaf Scholz (SPD), for his role in the traffic light negotiations. “We have really not always made it easy for ourselves,” said the FDP boss. The conversations were characterized by respect and an effort to understand “.” I would like to point out that the Federal Chancellor-designate in particular was able to combine what was previously divisive in a meaningful way presented”.
“Largest liberalization in decades”
“What we are planning is the greatest liberalization since the 1990s, maybe even since the 1970s,” said the deputy FDP leader Johannes Vogel at the opening of the party congress. Vogel named the traffic light reform plans for citizenship law, immigration law, family law, entry into the share pension and the legalization of marijuana.
On Saturday, an SPD party congress approved the coalition agreement with more than 98 percent of the delegate’s votes. The result of the strike vote among the Greens is also expected on this Monday.
Criticism of the current crisis management
The corona pandemic was also a topic at the party congress: Lindner sharply criticized the current state crisis management. “The overall picture that the state community of responsibility from the federal and state levels, the federal government and the Bundestag has shown over the past few weeks has been unsatisfactory,” said Linder. “That’s why I recommend all of us not to repeat,” he added.
Linder called on his party for a debate on compulsory vaccination. He indicated that he could move away from his hitherto negative stance on this issue. “However, various arguments and the low willingness to vaccinate made me think,” said Lindner. “This debate is sensitive to our society because it can lead to divisions,” he admitted, “because it is a very personal ethical consideration”. That is why a thorough debate is necessary. Lindner supported the proposal to lift the parliamentary group requirement for a vote on the general compulsory vaccination.
More boost in vaccinations
The FDP boss defended more targeted measures to contain the corona and called for more vaccinations. “Everyone had hoped and expected with the availability of vaccines that this winter would be different from last year,” he said. “This hope has not been confirmed.” The fourth wave with dramatic numbers of infections represents a new special danger. It is now a matter of a strategy “which combats risks more consistently, but which at the same time preserves more social life”.
Lindner emphasized that so that no further corona measures would have to be decided, build on people’s sense of responsibility to reduce contacts now and get vaccinated. “The way to normality is in your hands,” he appealed to the citizens. In a pandemic it is “not about freedom or health protection, but the right balance of both”. Lindner admitted that in the transition phase after the federal election the image of the “state community of responsibility” of the government, parliament, the federal government and the federal states was “unsatisfactory”.