Berlin – It had been expected for a long time, now the time has come. The failed Union Chancellor candidate Armin Laschet announced on Thursday that he would not stand in the way of a new start for his party. “We didn’t win the election,” he said that evening. The Aachener looked composed, at the same time made it clear that the CDU was still ready for Jamaica. “My goal is to reconcile opposites,” he said. It was previously announced that Laschet wanted to give up his party leadership. He will only be available for a transitional period.
The candidate for chancellor did not say it openly, but he spoke of a new beginning – also in terms of personnel. Whether in a government, he is still for a Jamaica coalition, or in the opposition. And again he said: “It’s not about the person Armin Laschet, it’s about the Jamaica project.”
CDU politician Friedrich Merz, who is also being traded as a possible successor to the CDU chairmanship, promptly tweeted: “Armin Laschet is clearing the way for the CDU to start again today. For this he deserves respect, thanks and great recognition. I will do my best to find an amicable way to do this, which is also approved by our members. ”
This was preceded by intrigues that lasted for days, even within his party. Laschet was no longer trusted within the party to lead the CDU and CSU into a future. Laschet is clearing the way for a personnel reorganization, it was said in advance from Union circles. A decision on his successor is to be made at a CDU party congress in December. Laschet announced that there would be a membership survey on who should lead the party in the future.
The message about Laschet’s possible withdrawal burst in the middle of the first traffic light exploratory talks. On Thursday the SPD, FDP and Greens met for the first time to discuss a common path. But whether it will succeed is not set in stone, although all actors were positive afterwards. A traffic light coalition depends on many concessions and compromises, it said. FDP General Secretary Volker Wissing spoke of “hurdles that can be overcome”. On Monday, the three parties want to continue their talks “in depth”.
Laschet’s move seemed long overdue. Because the party has not come to rest since the election. Also on Thursday, while behind the scenes there was a confidential compromise between the negotiators of a possible traffic light coalition, there was a dispute – this time between the FDP and the CSU. FDP General Secretary Volker Wissing complained that CSU leader Markus Söder had slammed the Jamaica door in front of the Liberals’ noses. Söder had said the day before that the signs were pointing to a traffic light coalition and the Union would not wait on the bench.
The chairman of the FDP youth organization Junge Liberale, Jens Teutrine, confirmed on Thursday that there was definitely a chance for a Jamaica coalition. “Then Markus Söder came and said the drop was sucked.” Söder is currently “on the road a bit on an ego trip” and is particularly damaging to CDU boss Armin Laschet, who wants to hold on to the option of a Jamaica coalition. Indeed: Laschet only had this one lifebuoy, namely a black-green-yellow coalition. His political survival was linked to a possible Jamaica coalition. Many say that Söder wanted to prevent that from happening.
The SPD, Greens and FDP will meet for the second time on Monday
But even with a possible traffic light coalition, there are still open questions and some toads that would have to be swallowed. The three general secretaries of the SPD, FDP and Greens didn’t want to talk about that on Thursday when they presented the first exploratory results that evening. There was no content, but a signal that negotiations will continue next week. FDP General Secretary Volker Wissing said: “The first negotiations are encouraging. “The Secretary General of the Greens, Michael Kellner, spoke of a“ trusting ”cooperation.
The most important sticking point – especially for the Liberals – in the traffic light negotiations are tax increases. SPD Chancellor candidate Olaf Scholz wants to finance investments in climate protection and the digital infrastructure with tax increases for top earners and a wealth tax. The Greens are fully on the line. Only not the FDP. She made the election promise to prevent additional burdens. But there could be leeway there. In the SPD one can already imagine foregoing the wealth tax promised in the election campaign. That would be a piece of sugar for the FDP, it is said in the party. The solidarity surcharge for top earners, to which the SPD is sticking, could soon be over. The FDP, however, has filed a lawsuit with the Federal Constitutional Court. It could be agreed to wait for the verdict and then act on it.
When it comes to climate protection, the Greens insist on their election manifesto
You will wrestle with climate protection – and that is where the Greens are most persistent. The FDP wants to achieve the goal of climate neutrality in Germany and Europe by 2050 at the latest, the SPD by 2045. The Greens want to sharpen it and reduce emissions by 70 percent by 2030 and that Germany should have switched completely to renewable energies by 2035. One could agree, among other things, to set more incentives with less bureaucracy – the FDP has been calling for dismantling for a long time – for the expansion of renewable energies. An agreement on a higher CO2 price will probably be difficult: The FDP clearly rejects a national setting of a CO2 price.
Compromises also have to be found for coveted positions
Another sticking point is the 12 euro minimum wage – the SPD and the Greens are pulling together and absolutely want it – the FDP does not. She is an advocate of collective bargaining autonomy – with no state minimum amounts. The compromise here could be such that the three parties agree on a reform package for low-wage recipients, mini-jobbers and Hartz IV recipients – including a minimum wage.
And then there are the coveted positions. Green co-leader Robert Habeck, but also FDP leader Christian Lindner want to become finance minister. Lindner could make the race there. And it is about the office of Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, who has already thrown his renewed candidacy into the ring in 2022. Greens like FDP could demand the office. However, the SPD relies on Steinmeier. But one could imagine, it was said from the SPD, to hand over the office of Bundestag President to one of the two possible coalition partners.