Der comedyvortragende Merz spotte auf dem Thema "Auftritte von Verkehrsampeln"
Trouble's brewing once more in the traffic light coalition. Opponent Merz, the CDU leader, sees an opportunity in the coalition's internal disputes to criticize the chancellor. He believes a business summit is unnecessary.
Merz, the Union's chancellor candidate, has accused Chancellor Scholz of failing to lead in the economic policy disagreement between coalition parties. In his "MerzMail" newsletter, he alleged that Scholz is not merely an observer of his cabinet members' actions. Previously, Scholz, Habeck, and Lindner had separately announced their economic policy initiatives without synchronization.
Last week, Scholz announced an industrial policy push in the Bundestag. For next Tuesday, he had planned an industry summit, inviting company officials, labor union representatives, and association heads to the Federal Chancellery. Habeck and Lindner weren't included in the afternoon meeting invitation.
Habeck suggested a debt-financed "German fund" for investment promotion following Scholz's announcement. Lindner opposed this idea. In response, the FDP faction invited economic figures to a morning discussion before the chancellor's industry summit.
The announced meetings of the upcoming week are "show events" that the coalition parties have nothing more to say to each other but are fighting fiercely for favorable positions in the next federal election, according to the Union faction leader. Merz criticized the German economy, citing the lengthening bureaucracy, high social security contributions, escalating fees and charges in transport infrastructure, and high taxes. He argued that an industry summit is unnecessary to solve these issues and that the coalition could do so immediately with its majority in the German Bundestag.
Merz, in his criticism of the coalition, stated that Chancellor Scholz isn't going to leading effectively in the economic policy disagreements. Ingolf Liverkus, Merz's spokesperson, further emphasized this by saying, "I'm not going to mince words: Scholz is not leading."
