Government - SPD politicians call for faster agreements in the traffic light system
The deputy federal chairman of the SPD, Achim Post, has called on the traffic light coalition in Berlin to reach agreements more quickly in future without open disputes. "In many cases, what the traffic light coalition has delivered in the most difficult times is really okay," Post told the German Press Agency in Düsseldorf. "But that was too often overshadowed by disputes last year. We need to take a good look at ourselves and simply do better."
Society has become more heterogeneous and government coalitions have naturally become more heterogeneous as a result, said Post, who is also deputy leader of the SPD parliamentary group in the Bundestag. "We have to come to an agreement more quickly despite all the different approaches." This is also the major task for the coalition government in 2024. "And the SPD will make its contribution to this."
"So many crises in a row"
Deputy SPD Chairwoman Anke Rehlinger admitted that the traffic light government had made mistakes. "Of course mistakes have been made - quite a few, to be honest," the Saarland Minister President told the German Press Agency. "Under no circumstances should this continue in this way." However, "one should not give the impression that politics is able to walk on water in such times of crisis".
Rehlinger appealed for understanding: "We have probably never had so many crises in a row, and now side by side, in the history of the Republic," she said. "The fact that things don't always run smoothly is probably part of the nature of things."
The uncertainty felt by the population everywhere must be countered with "good governance and communication not only about the present, but also about the future". Politicians should "not just be in repair mode without having a perspective and saying where we can be in ten years' time", said Rehlinger.
Green Party Chairwoman Ricarda Lang also called for the SPD, Greens and FDP to treat each other differently. "We stand by this coalition, and it will last until the end of the legislative period, we still have enough to do," Lang told the "Tagesspiegel" newspaper. To achieve this, however, the three parties would have to revise their style of government. "I think we need to get away from the game of winning and losing." Each party in a coalition could retain its own profile, Lang emphasized. "It's not about all parties suddenly having to want the same thing."
Better federal-state relationship required
Saxony's Minister President Michael Kretschmer (CDU) called for a different approach between the federal government and the federal states. "The relationship has never been as bad as it is now. That's not my assessment, SPD Minister Presidents also say that," Kretschmer told the German Press Agency in Dresden. "The idea that all district councillors and mayors here in the Free State have a uniform point of view and we as the state government then say "We'll do it differently anyway" simply doesn't work. But this is exactly the case in the relationship between the federal and state governments."
In Kretschmer's opinion, many technical mistakes are made as a result, and policies are not being shaped in line with the country's actual needs. Germany is moving in the wrong direction in many areas of economic policy.
Read also:
- Year of climate records: extreme is the new normal
- Precautionary arrests show Islamist terror threat
- UN vote urges Israel to ceasefire
- SPD rules out budget resolution before the end of the year
Source: www.stern.de
