Kühnert advocates for a coalition of democrats in the EU Parliament.
The Ampel coalition endured a significant setback in the European elections. Could advance elections be in the works? What does the European landscape look like in the future? These questions are addressed in the talk show "Caren Miosga" featuring prominent figures such as SPD General Secretary Kühne and CDU politician Spahn.
When it comes to political talk shows, Sundays are typically reserved for ARD and Caren Miosga. However, on this election Sunday, ntv invited the leaders of the major parties. Miosga had to kick off the program with two politicians: SPD General Secretary Kevin Kühne and CDU economic politician Jens Spahn. Kühne holds the key to a potential solution to a looming crisis in the European Parliament.
During a 20-minute intermission for "Sportschau," Green founding member Jürgen Trittin was given the opportunity to comment on the immense applause the Greens received in the European elections. It was quite a challenge for him: mentioning small parties like the ODP (Ecological Democratic Party) and Volt. Despite the criticism Trittin received from Economics Minister Habeck, he confidently asserted, "I believe that the discussion about it won't be easy."
Lacking Confidence
What should the SPD do? Kevin Kühne appears rather despondent at the start. After all, the Social Democrats experienced their worst result in a European election. Compared to the 2021 federal election, the SPD falls short by nearly ten percentage points and trails behind the AfD in third place. On top of that, Melanie Amann, a journalist for "Spiegel," noted that the SPD only achieved half the percentage points of the largest opposition force, the Union faction.
Jens Spahn, the CDU politician, has the upper hand in this conversation. He uses the late congratulations from Kühne to his advantage, commenting that the Ampel coalition is less popular than any other German government before. Spahn emphasized that opinion polls back this up. He attributes the SPD's decline to Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who took an active role in the election campaign by defining three key topics: External, internal, and social security. "These are also topics that people are highly interested in," adds Spahn, "but we can see that: Scholz can no longer establish a connection between himself and these issues." Scholz has also lost touch with the German people. Spahn firmly believes that "this situation cannot be saved anymore." Scholz's reign is not salvageable.
Melanie Amann brings up a controversial point: "People don't understand why this government continues. Why can't they reach an agreement? And then you have to wonder: Isn't it better to terminate this arrangement?" Spahn, who has advocated for new elections for some time now, echoes this sentiment on this particular Sunday night, even before the neighboring country of France dissolves the French National Assembly.
While the Chancellor doesn't have the option to introduce a no-confidence vote, Caren Miosga inquires whether Kevin Kuehnert considers it a possibility. "That would imply that the Chancellor no longer has faith in parliament," Kuehnert explains, but he does maintain that Scholz still possesses confidence. However, the people's trust has waned, interjects Spahn. Kuehnert responds defensively, "If we entertain this idea now, solely because you are at a moment of strength, we'll ultimately have relationships like in Israel or other countries, where elections are held annually." Scholz will not initiate a no-confidence vote due to a bad poll or because of his departure. Furthermore, there are crucial budget policy questions and the Russian-Ukrainian war to consider.
What's striking about this discussion is what remains unsaid: The Union parties are not interested in tabling a motion of no confidence against Scholz.
In part, the traffic light parties contributed to the success of the AfD, Spahn speculates, adding that these right-wing parties are making gains in many European countries, with some even ruling in government. Italian right-wing party leader Giorgia Meloni caused a stir when EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen (CDU) voiced the possibility of voting for her. This is a fascist party that fears an "exchange of the Italian people" through migrants and wants to introduce a new, undemocratic electoral law.
"We completely reject this cooperation," Spahn says. "We want a majority in the democratic center. This can be achieved if, for example, the German Greens and German Social Democrats, who also carry significant influence in their parliamentary groups in Brussels, openly declare: We back Ursula von der Leyen. However, no such statement was made during the program.
Kühnert won't listen to that tonight. But the SPD's top person makes a proposal: "In the European Parliament, there are groups of parties, and it seems that conservatives, social democrats, and liberals together possess enough votes. If we add the Greens, we'll have over a hundred votes." It's not possible to elect a Commission President without conditions, Kühnert says. "She needs to present a political plan: What are her goals? How will she help the environment? How will she support the economy? How will she promote social welfare and peace? Each of these issues must be addressed." The Social Democrats would also put forward their demands as the second strongest force in Europe.
"Democrats should have convictions," insists Kühnert. "If we have control in parliaments where democratic parties have a majority, at the start of debates, a clear statement should be made: We form the majority ourselves, excluding the right-wingers from the start."
Read also:
- In the talk show "Caren Miosga," Kühne discussed the importance of a coalition of democrats in the EU Parliament, possibly including the EU Parliament, as they hold the key to a potential solution to a looming crisis.
- Jens Spahn, during the same talk show, expressed his criticism towards the Ampel coalition's performance in the European elections, mentioning Chancellor Olaf Scholz's involvement in the campaign and the decline in support for the SPD.
- Jürgen Trittin, after the European elections, voiced his views on the Green Party's success on "Caren Miosga," discussing the need to mention smaller parties like the ODP and Volt, despite facing criticism from Economics Minister Habeck.
