Green timpani for Friedrich Merz

Perhaps one will say in a week that the agreement of the probably future government with the safe opposition in the German Bundestag on the largest indistinct debt of the republic has begun with a lunch. Perhaps one will say that the Greens needed this public settlement. And perhaps that the future chancellor was either smart enough or badly enough in the terminal or both to be cleaned quietly and almost without protest.

Thursday afternoon, just after one, it makes thirteen for Friedrich Merz (CDU) in the double meaning of the word. The 20th Bundestag – the old one, not the new one chosen 18 days ago, is important – debated whether he should allow historical debt admission. A trillion euro approximately, so 1,000 billion: half each for defense and the renovation of the well -known dilapidated infrastructure. CDU/CSU and SPD, the likely future coalitioners, have come up with this; But they cannot decide on their own. Because the Basic Law must be changed, which requires a two-thirds majority.

Just as things lie, Merz & Co. need the approval of the Greens. However, the Chancellor in particular has so far been missing every skill. When Black and Red, Merz talked to the Green parliamentary group leader on their mailboxes. Since then there have been talks and still – but not yet yes.

The opposition runs storm

All other parliamentary parties want to prevent that it will happen; The FDP with words, left and AfD have been drawn to the Federal Constitutional Court. This may find that the 21st Bundestag, elected February 23, is eligible to make decisions. Karlsruhe has not yet decided; So the AfD tries to prevent the entire special meeting. And fails.

But that doesn't change the facts. In the new Bundestag, AfD and Linke together will have the so -called blocking minority. However, because the CDU decided on a ban on cooperation with both in 2018, Merz could forget his plan. Less constitutional is to be said against the action than political; The old Bundestag remains capable of acting until the new one is constituted. However, this could also be than on March 25th. On the 18th, for example – on which the old one should now finally adopt the debt package. « They are afraid of this new majorities, » complains the group leader of the left, Heidi Reichinnek.

The AfD-Co chairman Alice Weidel wants to consider the procedure to be a « unscrupulous attack on our constitution », and of course she repeats her permanent accusation that this is « a coup d'état ». « Left -wing economic policy! », Your faction leader Christian Dürr etches for the FDP.

However, the Greens, in front, co-faction leader Katharina Dröge, pack Merz at his real weak point. Because his main argument is: the debts would have to be decided so quickly because the situation had changed so unpredictable and so serious; Keywords: US President Donald Trump, « worrying security situation in Europe », « Economic challenges in our country ».

Political calculation

At most for Trump's behavior, this can apply to a limited extent; The rest has already been known in the election campaign, in which Merz staged himself as the guardian of the Basic Law Brake. The fact that the Greens kept asking him their reform, most recently « on February 11th, Trump was already president, the traffic light was already through »: Dröge starts her stand. Then she accuses him of « party tactics, political calculation, election campaign »: « Because they have never been able to put the interests of the country in the first place and not their own! » And because Merz 'political principle « is » not always honest « : Therefore one » cannot rely on her word « .

Merz has just tried to lure the Greens with a 50 billion offer for the climate protection missing in the original plan. And asked in the direction of the Greens: « What more do you want in such a short time? » Now Dröge is poisoning back, Merz should not pretend « as if the future of our children is a private problem of the Greens ».

Of course, everyone, first of all, know Merz and his future coalition partner Lars Klingbeil that not alone, but also the Greens are in a clamp. You want more money for defense, further support from Ukraine and, finally, finally, a digitization of the republic that deserves its name. But as a future opposition, therefore rapidly waving through black-red election promises such as mother's pension, agrardiesel, commuter flat rate: they don't want that.

After reporting, Merz asked how much you are happy about « Germany is back » in the EU: « Is failure in your view a serious option? » That countered Dröge's colleague Britta Haßelmann. « I've been talking for days, » she throws Merz. « But offers were neither made about the mailbox nor in the plenum – if you want them to be successful. » Emphasis on « if ».