Mutual accusations in the general debate: Opposition leader Merz has rejected cooperation with the traffic light government. Chancellor Scholz accused Merz of lacking economic expertise.
In the general debate in budget week, opposition leader Friedrich Merz and Chancellor Olaf Scholz exchanged blows. Union parliamentary group leader Merz made the surcharge – and he made it clear that cooperation between the Union and the traffic light coalition was in principle out of the question for him. “Please spare yourself and us your calls for cooperation in the future,” said the CDU chairman.
These calls are nothing more than pure political rhetoric. The experiences of the past two years have shown that the coalition is not seriously interested in real cooperation, criticized Merz.
Union against suspending the debt brake
While the Union has agreed – such as with the special fund for the Bundeswehr – the government is not sticking to agreements. The CDU leader emphasized that they were therefore very cautious when it came to further changes to the Basic Law. He once again ruled out agreeing to a weakening of the debt brake. “You can’t expect that.”
“SPD is the party of subsidized Unemployment”
Merz accused the traffic light of saying that Germany’s weak growth was mainly due to structural reasons that were the government’s responsibility. He spoke of mismanagement, for example in social, energy and climate policy. The “citizen money system” is the exact opposite of what is needed to promote motivation again.
The SPD has become a party of subsidized unemployment and no longer a party of workers.
Deepen German-French relations
When it comes to foreign policy, Merz called for closer cooperation with France. Berlin and Paris should take a leading role together in Europe. Scholz should take the outstretched hand of French President Emmanuel Macron and work together “to develop new initiatives to demonstrate Europe’s ability to act,” said the CDU chairman.
The proposals should also prepare Europe for a possible change in the USA towards former President Donald Trump, added Merz.
Praise for protests against Right-wing extremism
Merz welcomed the large demonstrations against right-wing extremism in many cities. “The AfD voters are not all right-wing radicals, but they are all pretty frustrated,” he said.
The solution to the problem is obviously that the coalition must solve the country’s problems.
Scholz accuses Merz of incompetence
Scholz reacted sharply to the opposition leader’s criticism. He accused Merz of saying that the CDU had no prospects for the future of Germany. “What does your political program actually have to do with the future of Germany? Nothing, that’s the answer,” said the Chancellor.
“How can you want to gamble away Germany’s future like you are doing? Economic expertise: zero. That’s the truth. No prospects for Germany. No industrial prospects. No prospects for jobs,” Scholz called out to Merz.
The Union faction leader has obviously learned nothing. “You want to pull all the brakes on growth that you have put on Germany again.” The traffic light is in the process of cleaning up what was left behind during the time of the Union-led government, said Scholz.
“And a lot has been left undone,” added the Chancellor. “For very, very, very many years, the decisive course was not set so that Germany could have an industrial future.”
Scholz: Government is making up for the Union’s failings
After the Union had “really fought underground and intensively” to ensure “that there is no expansion of the networks in Germany”, it has responsibility for the fact that the expansion of renewable energies has not made progress and nothing for a hydrogen industry and structure Germany had been done. All of these things are now taking place with the traffic light government – “for two years we have increased speed where speed was necessary,” exclaimed Scholz.
“If you box, you shouldn’t have a glass chin”
The Chancellor also accused Merz of being sensitive and unwilling to cooperate. The Union parliamentary group leader distributes what is his right against the federal government every day. “But if you’re criticized then you’re a mimosa. I think anyone who boxes shouldn’t have a glass chin. But you have a really nice glass chin, Mr. Merz.”
Scholz accused the CDU chairman of having ended talks about cooperation to curb irregular migration. “I’ve never experienced such hare-footedness, running away from one’s own responsibility, Mr. Merz. I’ve never seen so much cowardice before one’s own courage.”