A year of traffic lights and no one is happy? Yes, one: the chancellor, Olaf Scholz. And is he wrong? Does he improve the situation? Is he satisfied only because he is notoriously satisfied with himself? Three times no. The balance of red, green and yellow is so good.
Justice for the traffic lights: On November 24, 2021, the SPD, Greens and FDP presented their coalition program in Berlin’s Westhafen, ambitiously entitled “More progress dare”. Then came the Russian attack on Ukraine, and from February 24 everything was different. Not for the whole world, but for Germany.
The coalition partners had to put their 144 pages aside. Because in the crisis there is no master plan, except to master it. That is the ambition these days, from day one. And progress is visible.
How does Olaf Scholz say when he should comment on this? “The government communicates through deeds.” And indeed, from outside to inside: Twelve months after the coalition agreement, Ukraine is being supported unceasingly, and at the same time traffic light coalition members are constantly on the move internationally as emissaries. The West has not been so united for a long time.
Inside, the gas storage tanks are 100 percent full, 20 coal-fired power plants produce electricity, three nuclear power plants will run over the winter until April 2023, the first German liquid gas terminal has been set up, and a number of laws ensure the expansion and development of renewable energies and the infrastructure, also in the road construction.
In addition, there are legislative proposals that will speed things up even further. In addition, the “special fund” of 100 billion euros for the Bundeswehr has been approved, and there are also four major aid programs for citizens and companies against the high energy prices worth 300 billion euros. There is also still a lot in the pipeline to promote the economy.
It is much. And there is a lot of impertinence for the three coalition partners
Minister of Labor Hubertus Heil has pushed through the increase in the minimum wage to twelve euros, and the citizen’s allowance that replaces Hartz IV is also coming, passed jointly with the Union. Everything as if it were nothing
It is much. And there is a lot of impertinence for the three coalition partners. Twelve months ago, the Greens could not have imagined that a Green Economics and Climate Minister in Qatar would ask the Emir for access to new gas sources for Germany.
Or the Free Democrats that their party leader as Finance Minister is no longer on the debt brake, but is asking the Bundestag for credit authorizations of half a trillion euros. And the SPD that their chancellor, without much discussion, is increasing the budget of the Bundeswehr in a way that would have driven the party to angry protests at other times.
The outlook for 2023 is also impressive
The traffic light wants to govern more professionally, quietly and harmoniously than the previous grand coalition. Professionally, it is, quite often, noiseless and harmonious by no means always. The stress also weighs on mood. Not quite to the extent that the store of common ground that sustains coalitions has been exhausted. But alas, vanities take over.
Scholz wants solutions – he gets them. Dispute over the gas surcharge to save the gas importer Uniper? Cleared. Controversy over extending the lifetime of nuclear power plants? Cleared. Controversy over state finances? Cleared. Not always silent, but ultimately effective. Only what has been achieved can lead to harmony.
The outlook for 2023 is also impressive. The traffic light can succeed in complying with the debt brake again and finally taking climate into account in a previously unknown way. Around four billion euros will even be made available by 2026 for action programs such as “Natural Climate Protection”. Not even conservationists dared to hope for that.
It’s the first year. The idea of a nine-euro ticket even gave rise to a “Germany ticket”: for 49 euros a month on local public transport throughout the country.
All in all: One year of traffic lights – many could be satisfied. And, let’s be fair: It’s not evening every day. Red, green and yellow still have three years, a good 1000 days. Only with the taunts and hostilities among themselves they are not allowed to continue like this.
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Source: Tagesspiegel
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