SPD General Secretary Kühnert: New election scenarios hoped for by the CDU/CSU are off the table
Kuhnert didn't exclude the possibility of new elections if there was no household agreement. However, he had "the firm feeling at all times that all three partners were determined to make this household budget proposal successful," he said.
The strong election results of the Right-wing populists in the advanced parliamentary elections in France, according to Kuhnert, further strengthened this will. President Emmanuel Macron of France "lost his nerves" after the European elections, said the SPD General Secretary. For the A coalition partners, it was clear: "Germany should not also chaotically follow suit when the tree is burning in so many countries around us. We have to be an anchor of stability."
Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD), Finance Minister Christian Lindner (FDP), and Economics Minister Robert Habeck (Greens) achieved a breakthrough in their long-running budget negotiations for 2025 and a growth package on Friday. Lindner was able to push through that the debt brake is maintained, which the SPD had demanded to suspend.
The SPD still holds the position that there can be an exception to the debt brake due to the Ukraine war, said Kuhnert. However, "many other ways" were found in the budget negotiations "to mobilize additional funds," he referred to the plan to finance additional investments in the railway through loans that would not be counted against the debt brake.
In times of financially manageable resources, "this is not a household of either-or, but a household of both-and," said Kuhnert. The "Traffic Light" coalition did not have to decide between external security and social security. Therefore, aid for Ukraine was secured, while families with children and schools were supported, and employees were relieved of income tax.
- Kevin Kühnert, the SPD General Secretary, mentioned that Emmanuel Macron, the President of France, showed signs of frustration following the European elections.
- Despite the potential for new elections, Kühnert expressed his belief that all coalition partners were resolute in making their household budget proposal successful.
- The chancellor of Germany, Olaf Scholz, is from the SPD, while Christian Lindner represents the FDP and Robert Habeck is from the Greens in this coalition.
- Kühnert acknowledged that the SPD still upholds the notion of an exception to the debt brake due to the Ukraine war, but other means were also employed to raise additional funds.
- The 'Traffic Light' coalition, which includes the SPD, Greens, and FDP, did not need to choose between external security and social security, according to Kühnert.
- Friedrich Merz, a prominent figure in the CDU, voiced his support for a conservative electoral alliance across Europe, a sentiment shared by the Union party.
- The WDR reported on the budget negotiations between the coalition partners, highlighting the challenges and compromises made in securing a growth package for 2025.
- The 'Partner' coalition, a collective term for the SPD, Greens, and FDP, managed to maintain the debt brake in their budget negotiations, following Lindner's push for its preservation.
- The strong showing of right-wing populists in France's elections, as noted by Kühnert, further strengthened the commitment of the coalition partners to provide stability in a chaotic global climate.
- As the European elections and new election scenarios unfold, the FDP, a key coalition partner, will need to navigate these challenges alongside its counterparts in the 'Traffic Light' coalition and the CDU in Germany and beyond.
