If a government is formed, the traffic light parties want to initiate comprehensive reform projects, as emerges from a joint exploratory paper. What’s in it An overview.
The SPD, the Greens and the FDP have agreed on a joint exploratory paper that should form the basis for starting coalition negotiations. The party leaders now want to recommend these to their respective bodies, as the chairmen Saskia Esken (SPD), Christian Lindner (FDP) and Robert Habeck (Greens) made clear after the final exploratory round on Friday (Read more here).
Three weeks after the federal election, the SPD, Greens and FDP are taking the next step towards forming a traffic light government. “We are convinced that we can conclude an ambitious and sustainable coalition agreement,” says the joint paper of the three parties. What are the traffic light parties planning? A first overview.
Modernization of the state
The traffic light parties want to promote digitization and halve the duration of planning and approval processes as far as possible. New forms of citizen dialogue should offer more opportunities for participation. In this way, young people should also be able to have more say in politics. “We want to lower the voting age for elections to the German Bundestag and European Parliament to 16 years,” says the exploratory paper presented on Friday, with which the party’s negotiators want to obtain the approval of their bodies for coalition negotiations. It also says: “We want to revise the electoral law in order to prevent the German Bundestag from growing in the long term.”
Minimum wage and “citizens’ money”
If a government is formed, the minimum wage is to be increased “in the first year in a one-off adjustment to twelve euros per hour”. “Following this, the minimum wage commission will decide on any further increase steps.” The earnings limit for mini-jobs will be increased to 520 euros, for mid-jobs to 1,600 euros. Working hours should be made more flexible. The disadvantage of women in the labor market is to be counteracted – also in management positions – and the compatibility of family and career is to be improved.
Instead of the previous basic security (Hartz IV), according to the agreement, a “citizen’s benefit” is to be introduced. This should “respect the dignity of the individual, enable them to participate in society and be digitally and easily accessible; it should focus on helping people return to the labor market.” Family policy benefits are to be bundled in a basic child benefit. An offensive for more nursing staff is planned. There should be no citizens’ insurance – private and statutory health insurance will remain alongside one another. The Bafög should be designed to be more parent-independent.
According to the exploratory papers, the negotiators of the traffic light parties want to forego tax increases. Tax relief, for example for low-wage earners, is also not provided, said Greens boss Robert Habeck. “That’s just the price we pay because the FDP has prevailed at the point.” Such relief could only be achieved if taxes for top earners were raised – and that would have been rejected by the Liberals.
Pensions
The pension level should be secured at the level of 48 percent, an increase in the retirement age is excluded. For the first time there is to be an entry into a partial fund for the statutory pension insurance. Private retirement provision is to be strengthened by a public fund.
Budget and finances
Necessary investments in the future should be made possible “within the framework of the constitutional debt brake”, especially for climate protection, digitization and education. Taxes such as income tax, business tax and VAT should not be increased. There should also be no new taxes on assets – such as a wealth tax, for example. Tax evasion and avoidance should be combated more resolutely. In order to gain leeway, the budget should be checked for unnecessary and climate-damaging subsidies.
Economy and innovation
Companies should be given the “best possible” support in the upcoming socio-ecological transformation – especially small and medium-sized businesses and the skilled trades. Employee participation in companies should become more attractive. The share of government spending on research and development is to increase to 3.5 percent of gross domestic product (GDP).
Housing and rent
In order to ease the situation on the housing market, 400,000 new apartments are to be built every year, 100,000 of which are publicly subsidized. This is to be implemented through an “alliance for affordable housing”. Applicable tenant protection rules should be extended, but there should not be a rent cap. The energetic renovation of buildings is to be promoted, and climate protection in new buildings is to be strengthened.
Climate and environment
In order to bring Germany on the 1.5-degree path in terms of climate protection, the expansion of green electricity is to be accelerated drastically. Solar systems should become compulsory for new commercial buildings and the rule for new private houses. Two percent of the land area is to be devoted to onshore wind power. In addition, the SPD, Greens and FDP are striving for a faster coal exit. The paper says: “In order to meet the climate protection targets, an accelerated phase-out of coal-fired power generation is necessary. Ideally, this will be achieved by 2030.” So far, the coal phase-out is planned by 2038 at the latest.
The paper goes on to say: “This requires the massive expansion of renewable energies we are striving for and the construction of modern gas-fired power plants in order to meet the increasing demand for electricity and energy over the next few years at competitive prices.”
The affected regions could continue to count on solidarity support. Measures of the Structural Strengthening Act will be brought forward or accelerated. “The accompanying labor policy measures such as the adjustment allowance will be adjusted accordingly. Nobody will fall into the mountain free.”
In addition to the earlier phase-out of coal, the planned measures also include the end of the combustion engine: “According to the proposals of the EU Commission, in the transport sector this would mean that only CO2-neutral vehicles will be allowed in Europe in 2035 – this will have an effect earlier in Germany . “
Electricity costs should fall
The possible government partners want to reduce electricity costs for private households and businesses. “In the course of the legislative period we will end the financing of the EEG surcharge through the electricity price as soon as possible,” says the paper. “In this way we are reducing electricity costs for private households and businesses.”
With the billions of dollars under the Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG), green electricity systems are promoted. It was only announced on Friday that the surcharge would decrease significantly in 2022. However, it is only part of the electricity price. In the industry, it is expected that a falling surcharge will stabilize electricity prices overall, but that the bottom line will not decrease electricity costs. On the other hand, procurement costs that energy suppliers have to pay for electricity have risen significantly.
No general speed limit
The SPD, Greens and FDP do not want a general speed limit on German motorways. “We want to make Germany the lead market for electromobility and therefore massively accelerate the expansion of the charging station infrastructure. There will be no general speed limit,” says the paper.
Green leader Robert Habeck said that the common paper was about creating clarity. “We could not enforce the speed limit. We are very satisfied in other areas.” The FDP is against a general speed limit.
The paper goes on to say that the EU Commission’s proposals should be supported in the negotiations on the EU program “Fit for 55” – this involves significantly more efforts to protect the climate. In the individual sectors, the instruments should be designed as technology-neutral as possible: “According to the proposals of the EU Commission, in the transport sector this would mean that only CO2-neutral vehicles will be allowed in Europe in 2035 – this will have an effect correspondingly earlier in Germany.”
Freedom, diversity and democracy
The Ampel partners want to see diversity in society as an opportunity, ensure fair participation and clearly oppose discrimination. Laws in family law, for example, should be adapted accordingly. Every form of misanthropy should be fought. Anti-Semitism, racism, right-wing extremism, Islamism, left-wing extremism and queer hostility are mentioned. Civil rights are to be strengthened.
migration
Germany is a country of immigration, this should be reflected in the nationality law. The immigration of skilled workers is to be facilitated, among other things, by a point system. Well-integrated foreigners in Germany should get a secure residence status more easily, also through the so-called “lane change” of asylum seekers. A humanitarian responsibility towards refugees is emphasized. There should be legal possibilities for entry, family reunification, but also deportations should be accelerated.
safety
Everyone should feel safe in Germany. Prevention should be expanded, the police should be well equipped and trained. Protection against cyber attacks is also to be improved.
Outside and Defense
The EU should become stronger, more democratic and more capable of acting. International action should be aligned with the UN sustainability goals. The partners are clearly committed to NATO. The equipment of the Bundeswehr is to be improved, but the NATO target of a GDP share of two percent for defense spending is not mentioned. There is to be a disarmament policy offensive, arms exports are to be handled restrictively.