MESEBERG (GERMANY), 5 March. (DPA/EP) –
Members of the tripartite government coalition in Germany begin a two-day meeting this Sunday at the baroque Meseberg palace in Brandenburg, to address a multitude of issues that have eroded relations between the Social Democratic Party (SPD), the Greens and the liberal FDP.
In particular, the latter two, the two junior partners in the coalition, have been in constant public confrontations in recent weeks and the defeat of the FDP in the recent elections in the federal state of Berlin has only increased the pressure.
On the official agenda for the cabinet meeting on Sunday and Monday, however, there is no trace of the problematic issues. Instead, topics such as the “Economic prospects for Germany and Europe in the new era” with the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, or the “Roadmap for the energy transition 2030” are included.
But a retreat of this type, with an overnight stay included in the palace that the federal government uses as a guest house, is also an opportunity to, at least, approach positions on controversial issues.
Government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit put it this way last week: “Of course, in the calm and time available on the sidelines of these meetings, there is also the opportunity to mutually clarify one or two issues on the sidelines where there may be light friction”.
One of the reasons for this tense atmosphere is that the leader of the FDP, Christian Lindner, will present the key points of next year’s budget on March 15. As usual, his cabinet colleagues want more money than the finance minister is willing to concede. The additional requests are said to total 70 billion euros ($74.5 billion).
The rise in interest rates, the debt brake that must be met again and the FDP’s refusal to increase revenue by raising taxes limit the room for manoeuvre.
It is already known that the new Defense Minister, the Social Democrat Boris Pistorius, will receive more money. The Greens, however, worry that there will not be enough left for their social and climate policy projects.
There are also differences around the basic allowance per child, as well as on gas and diesel heating. In fact, the partners had already agreed last year that, if possible, from 2024 only heating systems that work with 65 percent renewable energy can be installed.
But liberals fear that more climate protection regulations will financially overburden many homeowners and skyrocket construction costs.
Under pressure from the German government, the EU postponed a vote on phasing out the internal combustion engine in newly registered vehicles from 2035. The FDP is demanding a proposal from the European Commission on how to use climate-neutral synthetic fuels.
The SPD, meanwhile, is upset and accuses the liberals of wanting to save the combustion engine when the industry is already much more advanced.
Another point of debate is the pace of construction of new highways, which the FDP wants to speed up, something the Greens reject.
Finally, Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) and his Foreign Minister, Annalena Baerbock (Greens), are at odds over diplomacy. Many in the SPD dislike that Baerbock is often so direct on the international scene.
When the minister called for cohesion of the Western allies in the Council of Europe, she said: “We are waging a war against Russia, not against each other.” Scholz felt compelled to immediately clarify this statement and point out that Germany is not at war. “It’s a war between Russia and Ukraine,” he said.
