When Merz laughs, Lindner becomes enraged - and which one is a Nazi among them?
The European election results in Germany have caused a significant shake-up in politics. On ntv, party leaders are discussing the outcome. The meeting begins swiftly.
Wagenknecht, Weidel, Klingbeil, and Nouripour, along with Merz and Lindner, made up the roundtable panel at ntv. When six party leaders and chairpersons come together on a television show, something significant must have occurred. The situation is especially noteworthy in France, where President Emmanuel Macron has announced the dissolution of the National Assembly and called for new elections.
In Germany, the situation isn't as dramatic as in France, but the results are still far from pleasant for the traffic light coalition. The CDU and CSU, along with their party family, the European People's Party, have received the most gains. CDU leader Friedrich Merz reacts with a hint of sarcasm when Nikolaus Blome, ntv's political chief, wants to discuss the consequences. However, the main winners are the populists on both the left and right.
From the beginning of the debate, it's clear that the SPD and FDP are adopting a "Now or Never" approach to form a new federal budget by July 3rd. SPD leader Lars Klingbeil firmly states, "As party chairman, it's clear to me that we can't ignore the working middle class."
The FDP, on the other hand, is pushing for the abolition of pensions after 45 years of contributions. Christian Lindner counters by stating, "We can invest in security, education, and infrastructure while still ensuring financial safety." But, he adds, "We can no longer have a welfare state without clear incentives for work." The topic of fairness is also raised: Lindner calls for a "Fairness Update" to encourage people to take up job offers. The traffic light coalition dispute is quickly reignited.
Lindner also has negotiations in Berlin and Brussels, so he places demands on Merz: No common debts and a lifting of the ban on combustion engines. Merz responds that this will still happen according to their election program. He then promises that the combustion engine ban will be reviewed and revoked in 2026.
There is an underlying tension between Merz and Lindner, with few signs of their personal connections - Merz once attended the Lindners' wedding on Sylt. Instead, some irritation surfaces. Merz starts laughing when Lindner claims responsibility for asylum policies, stating that he ensured asylum seekers only received funding after 36 months. Merz feels he has been unfairly criticized for suggesting this idea. "Only I have been heavily scrutinized for proposing this," he says. "If Friedrich Merz wants to share a laugh, let him do so," Lindner snaps back angrily.
When it comes to migration, there are no visible differences. AfD leader Alice Weidel asserts that there is too much unrestricted migration into social systems, a sentiment echoed by Merz and Lindner. Wagenknecht cautions that this could result in negative reactions towards well-integrated migrants, including Muslims. Klingbeil confirms that he is in favor of deporting people to Afghanistan and Syria, just as Scholz previously announced. This stance is unusual for the SPD.
During the discussion of the Russian attack on Ukraine, the divisions are quickly apparent: Weidel and Wagenknecht advocate for negotiations with Russian President Vladimir Putin. On the other hand, Nouripour, Merz, Lindner, and Klingbeil all reject this idea. "There's only one person who can end this war," says the CDU leader. "And his name is Vladimir Putin. You're probably most familiar with him, Mrs. Wagenknecht."
Wagenknecht had earlier stated that Putin wouldn't attack Ukraine, which Nouripour accuses her of implying. However, Wagenknecht clarifies that she was talking about a different scenario. More weapons will not bring an end to the deaths, she argues. Lindner warns that if Ukraine loses, millions more refugees could come to Germany. The country must protect the European peace order. If it does not, this could also have dire consequences for relations with Poland and the Baltic states. They might fear being the next to be abandoned.
Weidel isn't pleased when Blome queries how to negotiate with someone who destroys hardware shops to murder women and kids. She finds it inappropriate to vilify one side and applaud the other. Her party, the AfD, had recently received a favorable mention from Putin.
Nouripour feels disheartened as a Green Party leader. Five years ago, when Friday for Future demonstrated, and Greta Thunberg became a symbol for a generation, his party achieved an amazing 20.5% result. Now, things are different in 2024. Undaunted, Nouripour emphasizes the significance of the situation. Consider the flooding in South Germany or how the US and China are heavily investing in environmentally friendly technologies.
Klingbeil berates himself once more with the Heating Law, Weidel mocks wind and sun as "fluttering current," which can't run an industrial nation. Lindner declares, "Mrs. Weidel is absolutely correct," referring to the Renewable Energy Act, which he also wants to abolish. He, however, is adamant about wind and solar power as "freedom energies."
In the end, Klingbeil and Weidel are still sniping at each other. He claims that this federal election will be nothing like the European one. The fact that "the Nazis" have become stronger will astonish many. To which Weidel asks if he has just labeled her and her party as Nazis. Klingbeil replies chillingly, "Yes," and refers to court rulings that have permitted this. What the AfD leader and party member Björn Höcke and Maximilian Krahs call shamelessness.
This discussion was vibrant and engaging. It clearly illustrates how the traffic light coalition is running out of breath.
