It started with a harmony selfie, but that’s long history. The traffic light coalition partners argue like tinkers, and they do it all the time. Above all, there are two people who can’t get along.
This photo haunts the traffic light coalition like a zombie. It shows the three-way alliance in a state that seemed very lively at the time, but did not survive long. The magic of the beginning has turned into an evil spirit that keeps haunting the coalition partners.
We are talking about the selfie that the leaders of the FDP and Greens posted in September 2021 after their first meeting after the federal election at the same time on social networks. To see: FDP leader Christian Lindner and his then General Secretary Volker Wissing, Robert Habeck and Annalena Baerbock, then Green leaders. All four smile at the camera. “There’s no piece of paper between us,” said the message.
Today there are many sheets of paper that fit between the coalition partners, especially between the Greens and the Liberals. In the meantime, they seem more like the best of enemies, hardly any opportunity is missed to publicly question the position of the other. The draft by Family Minister Lisa Paus (Greens) for basic child security is one of the more recent examples. Like Habeck’s heating law, this is a joint project in the coalition agreement, so the project dates back to a time when the traffic light was still a “harmony coalition”. But as with the heating law, a bitter dispute broke out between the FDP and the Greens over the precise design and financing.
The traffic light has ruled for 20 months and has been arguing more than the governments before it. This shows a small overview.
January/February 2022: As soon as the traffic light coalition is in office, the first crash ensues. The corona pandemic has the country under control, and the number of infections is still high. One compulsory vaccination is being discussed. A proposal comes from the SPD, and Chancellor Olaf Scholz, after initial rejection, is also in favor of a corresponding obligation. Federal Minister of Justice Marco Buschmann (FDP), on the other hand, is dreaming of an early “Freedom Day”, as are many others in his party. It doesn’t come that quickly, but neither does the obligation to vaccinate. Several motions to fall through in the Bundestag.
March 2022: Finance Minister Christian Lindner announced via the “Bild” newspaper a tank discount to offset the increase in fuel prices. This has not been agreed in the coalition. The Greens are outraged; they believe that the oil companies are more likely to benefit from this. It comes to the worst crisis in the coalition up to that point. At the end of March, the traffic light agreed on the tank discount in a crisis meeting. In return, the Greens get the nine-euro ticket – but the idea for this came from FDP Transport Minister Volker Wissing of all people. It’s one of those rare moments when the peace offering ends up coming from the opposite camp.
June 2022: The plans of the EU, from 2035 ka new vehicle with an internal combustion engine to allow more trigger a new argument in the traffic light. The Greens support them, the FDP does not want to accept them. In March 2023, the EU and the federal government agreed that vehicles with combustion engines that only use CO2-neutral fuels can also be newly registered after 2035. The FDP prevailed.
August 2022: To avoid a collapse of companies importing Russian gas, Robert Habeck wants one gas surcharge introduce. For a limited period of time, private households that use gas should pay a levy to support importers in trouble. The measure is “not an easy step, but it is necessary,” assures Habeck. There is massive resistance in both the SPD and the FDP. Habeck first tries to make improvements, then he completely abandons his plan. Instead, there is a gas price cap.
