Always new arguments at the traffic lights: The coalition has to learn respect

Argument, argument, argument – this coalition has come together without coming together, it seems. Right now it’s about the children, the daycare centers. The FDP is attacking the Greens once again, and you can’t help but get the impression that one side doesn’t accept the arguments of the other. Again and again. That’s not how we treat each other!

Of all things when it comes to children. But it’s also somehow fitting, in a figurative sense. What I mean is: This isn’t childish stuff, not at all, it’s just starting to seem like childishness. You would like to shout to them: Come on, children, now get along. Otherwise …

Yes, what else? That is the question of consequence. This is becoming more common, every day now. “Coalition threatens new dispute over …” – the rest can be used as desired. If it weren’t so serious, so sad, you could laugh. Or see it as satire, as grotesque. It is, all of it. But in a very serious way, for the whole country.

What should people think about politics, politicians in general and coalition members in particular? Answer: the worst. The survey results for a coalition have never been so bad, for everyone as well as for the individual members, starting from the top, the Chancellor. No strengths are seen at all, just weaknesses everywhere, and what was or is good is of no importance. Minimum wage, electricity and gas price brakes, Germany ticket – was there anything? Yes, but it’s like nothing ever happened. Certainly nothing positive.

The traffic light cannot do one thing: argue profitably and in a friendly manner.

Stephan Andreas CasdorffTagesspiegel editor

To illustrate the latest survey: 80 percent of citizens are somewhat or very dissatisfied with the federal government, 76 percent of the SPD, 78 percent of the Greens and 81 percent of the FDP. Confidence in the performance and willingness to perform of red, green and yellow is at rock bottom. How then do they want to be re-elected?

To put it bluntly: by growing up very quickly. Speed ​​learning, to put it in modern terms. For example, there is the word respect, which everyone should spell for themselves.

In order to use it to practice discourse control. There is one thing the traffic light cannot do: argue profitably and in a friendly manner.

Of course, politics is not a harmony singing club. A nice term, not entirely new, it comes from the legendary CDU General Secretary Heiner Geißler. It’s been a long time. But if it’s true in principle – if there are only shrill sounds, a cacophony, then people run away. As you can see. The sound makes the music, firstly, and the orchestra needs a common melody. The Chancellor becomes the conductor.

Who can believe that conflict attracts rather than deters? Seriously, no one who has seen the latest numbers. If the federal chair of the Green Party attacks the SPD parliamentary group leader in a way as if she were the opposition leader – and that is just one example – then she may be three times right on the matter, but it does not help her cause. The SPD then simply shuts down.

What would be important now: sit down together to discuss things. The coalition members have to make sure once again whether they want to do this together, can do it, or not. This includes substantive leadership, but also a willingness to compromise. The way Chancellor Olaf Scholz is doing it doesn’t work, at least not any further.

Insidious comments about dissidents in the coalition are poisoning the climate; which in turn fits as an image of the relationship between the SPD and the Greens. Debates don’t just end because someone wants to decree it; they end when a minimum level of commonality is found.

How about an update, a renewed progress agenda that those in the traffic lights can get each other excited about? Only if they come together over this will they be able to inspire others. Otherwise… Yes, otherwise: There isn’t much time left until the next elections.