Soundings
Long way to the traffic lights: SPD, Greens and FDP speak for almost ten hours behind closed doors
On the way to the traffic lights (from left): Habeck, Baerbock, Wissing and Lindner
© Christof Stache / AFP
In small groups, representatives from the SPD, the Greens and the FDP are currently exploring a course for a possible joint federal government. A conclusion should not be given until the end of the week.
The negotiators from the SPD, Greens and FDP have started in-depth discussions about the political course of a possible first traffic light coalition at the federal level. Politicians from the three parties met on Monday for new explorations in order to initially discuss details in smaller groups. The conversations ended in the evening after almost ten hours behind closed doors. On Friday, the traffic light parties want to draw an interim conclusion and possibly decide whether to start coalition negotiations. At the beginning of the talks on the grounds of the Berlin trade fairs, climate protectors called for more speed in order to curb global warming.
The parties each sent six representatives to the rounds of talks on Monday, which are to continue on Tuesday. On Monday, a number of controversial topics were on the agenda, as was heard from the parties. At the previous meetings, the FDP and the Greens had each sent ten negotiators, the SPD had been with six politicians all the time.
Kutschaty doesn’t believe in hasty red lines
The negotiators are not expected to speak publicly until Tuesday afternoon. Put the programs on top of each other and see what can be brought together well, said Thomas Kutschaty, the SPD state chief in North Rhine-Westphalia, at Tagesschau24. “In many areas I can imagine that we will actually achieve a socio-political awakening.”
However, the Liberals also named red lines: “No tax increases and no relaxation of the debt brake of our Basic Law”, these demands are known, said the parliamentary manager of the FDP parliamentary group, Marco Buschmann, the “Spiegel”. Nevertheless, he was optimistic about the chances of a government coalition with the SPD and the Greens. There are still “other areas of friction”, but all three parties are ambitious. “The discussions have to show whether there is frictional energy for a forward impulse. So far everything has been very serious and professional. It is clear to everyone involved: It’s about our country,” said Buschmann.
Kutschaty said he didn’t believe in drawing red lines now. A trusting climate in the sounding is now important. It is about bringing three very different parties together, each party must be willing to compromise. But he also emphasized that the SPD, Greens and FDP had to think about “how to finance politics, what is necessary”. “Ultimately, we will also have to ask ourselves how we can finance all of this.” But first we should wait for the talks.
Voices on the coalition talks
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Kühnert: “Talks started well”
SPD Vice Kevin Kühnert expects the three parties to agree on a coalition agreement this year. “I’m very sure of that,” said the former Juso boss in the ARD “Morgenmagazin”. “The talks have now started well, very trusting. Nothing leaks out. That is an important basis for things to go smoothly.”
Kühnert also expects a willingness to compromise in budget and financial policy, one of the biggest sticking points in the traffic light talks. Serious clarification is needed here as to what the state’s income and expenditure situation and a fairer tax system should look like. “There is certainly still a lot to go,” said Kühnert. “I suspect that everyone has to distance themselves to a certain extent from their points of view. That’s just how it is in negotiations in a democracy.”
Habeck: “Failure is actually not an option”
Green leader Robert Habeck emphasized the evening before how important it is to succeed in negotiations with the FDP. “Failure is actually not an option,” he said on the ZDF program “Berlin direkt”. If a coalition of the SPD and the Union were to emerge again, Germany would “go nuts”. “We have to pull ourselves together a bit,” said Habeck.
Of course, the finances are a “huge problem”. But you also have to make it clear that there are probably projects that can only really flourish in a coalition with the FDP and the Greens. If the negotiations get stuck, it is worth taking a look “at what is lost if it does not succeed and I think that then holds us together quite well,” said Habeck. Now the “time of the imagination” begins.
On Wednesday and Thursday, the general secretaries of the parties want to continue working in a small group, while SPD chancellor candidate Olaf Scholz travels to Washington to meet the G20 finance ministers. As to the status of the talks, the representatives of the parties have repeatedly referred to the agreed confidentiality. It is becoming apparent, however, that taxes, debts and the financing of climate protection measures could be major sticking points.