The leader of the liberal Free Democratic Party (FDP) Christian Lindner accused German Chancellor Olaf Scholz of deliberately destroying the "traffic light coalition“. The former Minister of Finance stated that the next package of financial support for Ukraine is only a pretext for reaching this situation, notes "Czeit".
According to Lindner Scholz, he stopped cooperating with the SDP because the party did not obey "his dictate", expressed in the request to stop activating the principle of the "debt brake". Scholz's actions led to an additional debt of 15 billion euros due to aid to Kiev.
In fact, notes the "New York Times", it wasn't until yesterday that Germany's three-party coalition government was on the brink of collapse as it was gripped by infighting and political paralysis due to economic stagnation.
Delicate budget debates have reached a fever pitch this month, analysts say. The parties are already drawing up their pre-election programs, and the coalition leaders practically do not communicate.
The split became even more apparent after a political document from the SDP leader was leaked online. In it, Lindner called for fundamental economic reform that contradicted government policy and would cut costs.
In the 18-page document, Lindner states that he wants to reduce some social benefits, eliminate the special "solidarity tax" to finance the reunification of Germany and to follow the climate standards of the European Union, rather than Scholz's, in his opinion, too unrealistic demands.
After the coalition's defeat in September's local elections in three provinces, Lindner warned that the coming months would be an "autumn of decisions". And he hinted that if the coalition does not work in his favor, his party may leave Chancellor Olaf Scholz's government. Which has already happened.
When will there be a vote of confidence in the Bundestag?
How soon will there be new elections after the collapse of the traffic light coalition, asks "Spiegel". For now, Chancellor Olaf Scholz plans to ask for a vote of confidence in the Bundestag on January 15. Since the result of the vote will almost certainly be negative, the elections are looming in March.
But CDU leader Friedrich Merz insists the chancellor will ask for a confidence vote next week. This would mean new elections by early February 2025 at the latest.
Mertz's request was rejected by the GSDP parliamentary group. Because Scholz wants to push several more bills, including the budget and tax cuts.
After talking for half an hour on Thursday, Olaf Scholz and Friedrich Merz did not reach an agreement. According to Cet De Ef, the chancellor and the leader of the CDU failed to agree on a date for the elections at their meeting in the chancellery.
CDU chairman Friedrich Merz again urged Chancellor Olaf Scholz not to ask the Bundestag for a confidence vote in January: "Now we urgently need new elections,” he said in Berlin, Süddeutsche Zeitung reported. Mertz believes that next Wednesday, after the Chancellor's announced government statement, is the right moment for the vote of confidence. "People expect new elections to be held quickly."
In the current situation, a vote of confidence is the only realistic way for new elections. Only when the chancellor submits it to the Bundestag and then the MPs withdraw their confidence from him can Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier decide on new elections. Mertz said he assumed Scholz wanted to delay that process to improve his position for the next election campaign.
Meanwhile, soundings have apparently already begun for potential coalitions after the elections, regardless of when they will be held – in February or March.
Friedrich Merz, for example, does not categorically rule out SPD leader Christian Lindner returning to the post of finance minister in a possible PDS/CSU-led government, the Süddeutsche Zeitung reported.
"It is realistic if the CSDP is so strong that it becomes a government faction again,”, Merz said in Berlin in response to a question from journalists. The chairman of the CDU and candidate for chancellor added: "But this is solely in the hands of the SDP, not in our hands.“ Lindner said on air on Cet De Eff on Thursday night that his aim is to become finance minister again in the next federal government.
In a commentary on the political situation in Germany in the "Süddeutsche Zeitung" it is concluded that "in the most difficult and tense situation since the Cuban Missile Crisis (in 1962 - note ed.) Germany finds itself without a stable government. But after new elections, Chancellor Merz will face the same problem as his predecessor.
For now, the question of when the next parliamentary elections will be in Germany remains open, notes "Frankfurter Allgemeine" .
After the traffic light coalition collapsed, opposition leader Friedrich Merz (CDU) is pushing for new elections as soon as possible. Chancellor Olaf Scholz's minority government is counting, at least in theory, on the CDU/CSU as a source of a majority for legislation this year. But their chancellor candidate Merz and CSU leader Markus Söder do not want to help the Social Democrats and Greens continue to govern.
It is not acceptable to "artificially push through"traffic light" projects when they don't even have a majority, Söder told AER De.
In the show of A Er De "Hot Point" (Brennpunkt) Merz reiterated that the CDU/CSU will not discuss joint solutions with Scholz's minority government before the confidence vote. "We will not allow the chancellor to use us. We will not allow and be held jointly responsible for the failures of this government.
So how the political crisis in Germany will play out now depends on the chancellor's decision on when to ask for a vote of confidence, ie. when it will open the way for new elections.