How Lindner raises the bar for a traffic light coalition

Markus Söder is not the top candidate of the CSU at all, but can still be part of this lush final round before the federal election. Some people wonder why – because the top candidate is actually Alexander Dobrindt.

After three trials, there is, so to speak, a Septell, a TV debate by ARD and ZDF of the three candidates for chancellor and the top candidates from the FDP, Left and AfD, as well as Markus Söder. 7 in number.

So Armin Laschet has the problem that TV viewers can get an idea of ​​whether Söder would not have been the better candidate for Union chancellor.

Laschet’s luck: Söder is nominally a representative of the smallest party and therefore has trouble getting a word in. When it comes to the murder of a mask refuser on a 20-year-old gas station employee in Idar-Oberstein, Söder emphasizes: “We need a clear stop sign against anyone who threatens and intimidates this state.” This also requires a strong constitutional protection, he says to the address of the left-wing top candidate Janine Wissler, who wants to abolish the constitutional protection despite the increasingly radical maverick scene and other opponents of democracy.

Weidel defends lateral thinkers

AfD top candidate Alice Weidel defends the lateral thinker scene, which rejects the corona measures, despite the fact. “In principle, I do not believe in the stigmatization of a protest movement.” Laschet emphasizes: “The radicalization begins on the Internet, more and more aggressive, always louder. We urgently need to oppose this hatred.” But the how is complicated, when it comes to online searches, SPD Chancellor candidate Scholz is maneuvering. Scholz, on the other hand, holds the Union against its blockade in the Bundestag against the defensive democracy law, with which initiatives and organizations are to be supported that advocate democratic values ​​and against extremist tendencies.

Green Chancellor candidate Annalena Baerbock emphasizes: “Yes, we urgently need a tightening of the gun law in Germany.”

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Head-to-head race before the election

The topic is too serious for an election campaign, but shows the big task for the next federal government. In the new ZDF Politbarometer a close race is emerging for election Sunday, the SPD comes here to 25 percent, the Union to 23 percent (plus 1). They are followed by the Greens with 16.5 percent (plus 0.5). The AfD could count on 10 percent (minus 1), the FDP with 11, the Left with 6 percent (both unchanged).

Söder visibly does not want to tease any further and does not want to explicitly repeat that the Union should rather go into the opposition if it does not end up in first place. He will be in Berlin on election evening, not in Munich – the round of party leaders is eagerly awaited at 8.15 p.m. after the election. When Söder is asked whether second place is still entitled to negotiate the Chancellery, i.e. whether Laschet will then be supported, Laschet looks over at him suspiciously. The Union in particular is facing turbulent days.

Laschet tries above all to conjure up the red-red-green danger, emphasizes SPD Vice Kevin Kühnert now wants a membership decision on the next coalition, he sees this as a vehicle to enforce red-red-green. But Laschet is wrong here. Involving around 400,000 members in particular would be an advantage when it comes to pushing through a traffic light against the party left. Because the majority is more pragmatic than the left-wing functionaries; In 2001 and 2017, the members were also surveyed and voted for the grand coalition with a large majority.

Lindner pokes at Söder – Laschet has to grin

Above all, FDP boss Christian Lindner can always score with small tips, he seems the most lively, clearest in the group. When it comes to compliance with the debt brake, which has been suspended due to Corona, Söder says that it has to take effect again. Then Lindner pours him one, exposes his lurching course. That is “very sympathetic what the CSU chairman says,” says Lindner. But the Bavarian Prime Minister – namely Söder – recently spoke out in the state parliament for a review of the debt brake. Laschet can’t help but grin.

Lindner makes it clear that the loosening of the debt brake is a red line for coalition negotiations for him, which in turn Scholz and Baerbock should listen carefully, as there is a big hurdle for a traffic light coalition. He continues to advocate Jamaica as the preferred option, but knows that the Union is in uncertain waters – and the Greens are now much more leaning towards the SPD. “Maybe it’s enough for two,” says Olaf Scholz with a slight grin to Annalena Baerbock.

The FDP boss rebukes his vice-president’s pub confession

Lindner also complains about his vice Wolfgang Kubicki, who had boasted that he was in lockdown in illegally opened pubs. In the remarkable video TV interview, he also revealed that “when the clock goes into double digits you can have a glass of wine.” The time is known to have two digits at 10:00 a.m. Lindner emphasized on Kubicki’s commitment to the pub: “The FDP has a very clear stance here, rules must be adhered to.”

Laschet criticizes SPD housing policy in Berlin

Above all, Laschet tries to score points against SPD chancellor candidate Olaf Scholz. He should comment on what he thinks of the red-red-green rent cover collected by the Constitutional Court. He says it’s about building, building, building. In 1973 it was already possible to build 800,000 apartments in one year. He wants to build 400,000 new apartments a year, including 100,000 social housing.

And he doesn’t want a rent cap, but a rent moratorium for tense markets. And with a view to the Berlin referendum, he emphasizes: “I am against us expropriating housing companies now.” Thereupon Laschet says: “It took a while before you gave an answer.”

And reproaches him that it is maddening if Red-Red-Green in Berlin are now buying back almost 15,000 apartments for 2.5 billion euros, but in 2004 they sold around 65,000 apartments for 400 million euros to private companies. But what he hides: In addition to the 400 million euros, there were still 1.5 billion euros in debt. And the sale happened in the red-red coalition of the SPD and the Left Party.

Green Chancellor candidate Baerbock is talking about the question of expropriations, when ZDF presenter Theo Koll asks if that was a yes to expropriations, Baerbock says, almost startled: “No!”

The “Economist” recommends a traffic light for Germany

After the criticism of the failure to address Germany’s future role in the world in the previous TV trialles, it was about foreign and security policy for a long time. Laschet is grateful for this. “The whole of Europe is looking at what kind of government Germany gets.” In view of the threats from outside, a more secure and sovereign Europe is needed. He will set up a national security council in order to better manage crises like the recent one in Afghanistan.

Just annoying for him that the highly respected “Economist” came out with an election recommendation shortly before the start of the last TV debate. On the title a federal eagle lying matt in the corner, with the caption: “The chaos that Merkel is leaving behind.” The British magazine ruled: “The CDU / CSU screwed it up. We would prefer the SPD to lead the next coalition. “They advocate a traffic light.