Today, the country heads are exchanging views with Chancellor Scholz – for example on refugee policy and the national security strategy. However, it is questionable whether there will be any results at the end of the federal-state meeting.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz spoke of a “good day for German federalism” in May after the refugee summit with the state leaders. It has been proven: “If we have to pull ourselves together, then we will.”
What was a good day for some was “the difficult conversations that everyone had expected” for others. The other is Lower Saxony’s head of government, Stephan Weil, also an SPD politician and chairman of the Prime Ministers’ Conference.
different viewing angle
Last month, Scholz promised an additional billion euros from the federal government to accommodate and care for refugees: “Concrete help for this year.”
Far too little, found the countries that want to return to per capita rates. However, from the point of view of the federal government, the sum is very generous. Behind this is the calculation: the financial aid from the federal government to the states and municipalities is around 15 billion if you include the citizen’s income for the Ukraine refugees.
It has not always been easy between the federal and state governments. This is also due to the fact that the perspectives are different and do not necessarily follow party lines, but rather the questions of responsibility and participation.
Financial Aid for Refugees: Just a Little Praise
In conversation with the ARD Capital Studio Stephan Weil made it clear that nothing can be expected today in terms of financial aid for refugees. “No solution to the dispute is to be expected on this issue, you have to say that very openly and clearly.”
On the one hand there is the procedure: In May it was agreed to set up a federal-state working group first. True to the motto: If you don’t know what to do, form a working group. This working group will present the first results today. Intermediate results, to be more precise.
According to the agreement, it will not be decided until November who will pay how much in the future. On the other hand, said Weil, the federal and state governments rated the current payments “very differently”. Of course, it was even more difficult to communicate there.
There is a bit of praise, namely from Henrik Wüst, Prime Minister of North Rhine-Westphalia and negotiator for the Union side. The preparations of the working group went very well, said Wüst ARD Capital Studio. A compliment with a but: Now you have to make progress, he added.
national Security strategy: Unfulfilled Promises
Government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit has announced that the chancellor will also address the national security strategy. It had been expected for a long time, but was only presented yesterday. The strategy spans the whole spectrum from clean water to defense spending. Scholz said yesterday that this “integrated” approach represents a decision that is as unusual as it is important. “For the first time in the history of our country, we have developed a national security strategy for the Federal Republic of Germany.”
A completely new approach, not so new, however, the reactions from the state side: namely criticism. So far it has not been included. On page 29 it says literally: “Insofar as this security strategy affects the responsibilities of the federal states, the Federal Government will uphold the existing participation and participation rights in the implementation.”
There are a few points, says Weil from Lower Saxony, such as disaster control and civil protection. But he complains that “this promise is still awaiting fulfillment”. And Wust says so ARD Capital Studio: “If this thing is to be called a national security strategy, then it has to be more than just a paper from the federal government”. Then “the thing” must also represent a real common strategy.
More speed for Germany?
“We will again not come to any conclusions on the subject of planning acceleration.” Hendrik Wüst’s emphasis is on the words “not again”. But Germany needs more speed. And the federal government has proven that there is a pace in Germany, for example in the construction of the LNG terminals. But when it comes to speeding up planning, there is still a lack of agreement in the federal government, criticizes Wüst.
Because would like to get ahead with the industrial electricity price. But even he expects no more than just an exchange, no results. There is the idea of a subsidized electricity price, put forward by Economics Minister Robert Habeck, but the federal government is still not unanimous. Because of the high energy prices, German industry has major problems with its competitiveness, especially on the world market, said Weil.
accusation: traffic light disputes brake
So it could once again be difficult talks – on top of that more consultations than tangible results. For Wüst, this is the reason for a general criticism of the federal government. “The dispute at the traffic lights in Berlin leads to delays and inability to act in many, many places. And that’s not good.”
A good day for federalism? This quote from Scholz translates to Wüst: “Whether we can say after the round: That was a good day for federalism depends on the results.”
When the heads of state and federal chancellors exchange views today, it is also a regular conference of prime ministers with a long agenda, not one of the many special meetings from Corona to refugees. That should also reduce the pressure to make decisions.