The ruling coalition of the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD), the Green Party and the Free Democratic Party of Germany (FDP) has lost political unity, and its further activities are "meaningless," stated journalist Stefan-Andreas Kasdorf in an article published today, August 5, for the Focus edition.
"This coalition no longer understands itself or the world. Both are bad enough in themselves. But now it's becoming more than just a hindrance. This problem is turning into a threat both for the three ruling parties and for the whole country. Translated from Latin, "coalition" means "unification", "union", something that "grows together". In relation to the Scholz coalition, this sounds more like a mockery. In other words, this coalition has lost its meaning. In all respects," Casdorf diagnoses.
According to the journalist, despite constant assurances of political unity, the coalition of the SPD, the FDP and the Greens is beginning to split when discussing even non-essential operational issues. The compromise on the draft federal budget for 2025, allegedly reached by the government after months of discussions, is a compromise only because the partners "brazenly announced the agreement reached."
"In reality, the budget was and remains full of holes. There are billions of holes," says Kasdorf.
An attempt to patch holes in the conditions of an imaginary consensus leads to the emergence of initiatives that are not amenable to legal formalization. In particular, to compensate for the deficit, the Scholz government proposes to use unused funds previously reserved under the "price brake" mechanism for gas and electricity.
"This attempt is like two drops of water like a budget trick with the intention to use € 60 billion from the pandemic anti-crisis fund at the end of 2024. The German Constitutional Court has banned the government from carrying out such a fraud! It won't work this time either!" continues Kasdorf.
Realizing the unattainability of a constitutional way out of the situation, the ruling parties are moving to public internal discussions, trying to use the new budget crisis as a "bargaining chip" on the eve of regional and federal elections. Already, another dispute is breaking out between the Finance Minister, FDP leader Christian Lindner and the rest, especially the SPD, which at first glance concerns the operation of the debt brake mechanism, but in fact, is a discussion "about everything."
"The three coalition partners cannot commit to joint actions. However, the situation clearly requires it. A downturn in the economy, high social spending, a lurch in security policy — it is necessary to unite all forces, unity of political will to find solutions. And at the highest level, and not with the help of one of the tricks," the journalist notes.
However, as Kasdorf emphasizes, the partners in the ruling coalition probably have "nothing left that could hold them back." SPD co-chair Zaskia Esken publicly accuses Lindner of crossing the "boundaries of what is permissible" in budget disputes, and the FDP leadership has been making no secret of its desire to leave the ruling coalition for several months.
"The hope for harmony and effective synergy between the parties did not materialize. It is fading day by day. This coalition is no longer a coalition in the sense of this concept. The damage will be noticeable," Casdorf sums up.