For two years, the traffic light coalition has been dealing with money that it was not even allowed to use: billions in loans were supposed to cushion the costs of climate protection and economic transformation.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz had come up with a special accounting trick for this purpose – an essential prerequisite for the SPD, Greens and FDP to come together at all.
But the supposedly ingenious reallocation of funds from the Corona period violates the debt brake in the Basic Law.
Enlarge image
Scholz, surrounded by Habeck and Lindner: Their debt trick fails
Photograph:
ANNEGRET HILSE / REUTERS
In Robert Habeck's Ministry of Economic Affairs, there is now "a mixture of helplessness and despair," reports SPIEGEL editor Gerald Traufetter. Large-scale projects such as the energy transition or the renovation of the railway are wobbling. Finance Minister Christian Lindner is also facing "restless hours," says SPIEGEL editor Christian Reiermann. The FDP leader acted as the guardian of the debt brake, now the trickery is taking its revenge.
Why didn't the government heed warnings? How could it close the budget hole? And what are the chances of survival for the debt brake and the traffic light coalition?
Here's what we'll discuss in this episode:
"Stimmenfang" is SPIEGEL's political podcast. For all those who want to understand Germany better. Marius Mestermann discusses the political topic of the week with his guests. New every Thursday.
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