Response from Berlin

The political developments in Berlin are hectic, after the failure of the three parties of the coalition government to find common ground in view of the passing of the German austerity budget with a deadline for an agreement on November 14.

On Wednesday night, after critical negotiations of the three government partners Social Democrats, Greens and Liberals in the chancellery, Chancellor Soltz announced the dismissal of Liberal Finance Minister Christian Lindner from the co-government.

Earlier, Christian Lindner had called for an early election, which Olaf Scholz rejected because of the critical and dangerous geopolitical situation after the developments in the USA and given the crisis in the German economy.

As a result he decided to lead him out of the government. The crisis within the co-government culminated with the 18-page Lindner document on the economic transformation of Germany, which essentially constituted the “manifesto” for exiting the government.

Chancellor Soltz, speaking Wednesday night from the chancellery, accused Christian Lindner of irresponsibility at such a critical time, tactics and clientelistic practices. “My trust in him was broken,” Olaf Solz said.

Mid-January vote of confidence

The next steps according to the chancellor are as follows: In the coming weeks and until Christmas, the budget and a series of bills will have to be voted in the federal parliament under the coordination, initially at least, of a minority government of Social Democrats and Greens, i.e. the two parties that remain within the coalition.

In the middle of January, specifically on 15.01. Olaf Solz announced that he will request a vote of confidence before the Bundestag, in accordance with what the German Constitution stipulates.

This move may, as it seems, give the green light for early elections, possibly in March. According to the constitutional provisions, if the government does not receive the confidence of the parliament, elections must be called within 60 days. Until then, as the chancellor said, he will join the vice-chancellor and Minister of Economy and Energy from the Greens, Robert Hambeck.

At the same time, he appealed to his great rival, the head of the official opposition and president of the Christian Democrats, Friedrich Mertz, for support in critical security and defense issues, given the international situation.

“The situation is serious”, as the chancellor said, with two wars on Europe’s borders and shocks in the economy. As he said the need to invoke the state of emergency under the Constitution was imperative. However, the government is obliged to continue its work until the vote of confidence and the completion of the prescribed parliamentary procedures.

The role of the President of the Republic, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, who is called upon to ensure the unity of the country, is expected to be critical in the coming period. He is scheduled to meet with Friedrich Mertz tomorrow, while he has already spoken with the chancellor and members of the coalition government.

Lindner: Scholtz orchestrated the rupture

At the same time, the developments in the headquarters of the Liberals are stormy, with the party’s group of ministers also leaving the government.

Christian Lindner, in his statements, dismissed all responsibility for the end of the coalition government on the chancellor, saying that he essentially “orchestrated” today’s rupture.

For the staunch supporter of the debt rule, meaning no new debt, concessions on the 2025 budget were impossible, Lindner said.

In fact, he said that the chancellor asked him, shortly before the passing of the budget, to suspend again the constitutional rule of the debt brake, something that he himself could not accept as Minister of Finance. “Soltz’s ideas are trivial and unambitious,” he said.

Greens: We stay in the government

Vice-Chancellor Robert Hambeck from the Greens called Olaf Solz’s decision “logical”, stressing, however, that this development should have been avoided. For her part, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Analena Burbock, also from the Greens, said with Robert Habeck on her side that her party will remain in the government until the spring. “It’s not a good day,” he said characteristically.

At the same time, according to a poll by the public network ARD, 53% of German respondents are in favor of early elections. Many leading opposition party figures are now calling for a speeding up of the confidence vote and an immediate appeal to the polls.

Tomorrow’s meeting of the K.O. is critical. of the Christian Democrats and Christian Socialists under Friedrich Mertz in the German parliament for the assessment of the Solz decision and for his next moves. Will they say yes to an informal government of tolerance until March or will they call for early elections here and now? The head of the Bavarian Christian Socialists, Markus Zender, is calling for early elections now. “The co-government of the ‘traffic light’ is history”.