In the general debate on federal government policy, opposition leader Friedrich Merz (CDU) accused the “traffic light” coalition in the Bundestag of “miserable government behaviour”. Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD), on the other hand, declared that the state would ensure that millions of citizens would get through the crisis on their own. “A crisis of which we can say today: our country has it under control.”
Traditionally, the general debate was prompted by the Chancellery’s budget, which was discussed on Wednesday in the week-long budget week. The 2023 federal budget provides for expenditures of approximately 476 billion euros and new loans of 45.6 billion euros.
Merz accused Scholz of wrong decisions and failures in crisis management. ‘Maybe you can’t do better than that. That is not likely to change either,” he said. “The tragedy is that the situation for millions of households and people in this country is getting worse every day.”
Scholz missed opportunities after his government statement about the “time change” at the end of February. At least once he should have delivered a big, sweeping speech, “mobilizing the best forces in our country,” Merz said.
Scholz then accused Merz of distorting reality in Germany. His speech reminded him of “Alice in Wonderland”. “You play down what is really big, and vice versa. What actually happened and who was responsible for it fades away. And what initially sounds logical is in fact pure nonsense.”
Scholz defended the course of the traffic light coalition: “This federal government has initiated, executed and cleaned up more in 12 months than was possible in the governments of the last 12 years.” The Chancellor highlighted the aid packages for citizens and businesses worth billions. At the same time, investments are being made in infrastructure and digitalisation. Germany’s energy security is “well” guaranteed this winter. Scholz referred to full gas storage facilities, liquefied gas terminals, new supply contracts, the restart of coal plants and the continuation of nuclear power plants.
The left accused the traffic light of chaos and insufficient aid given the energy crisis and high prices. “Many people do not feel protected and supported,” says party chairman Dietmar Bartsch. The budget was supposed to put up a great protective shield, but it was “wellness for the rich and not aid” for the majority of citizens. In winter, an “impoverishment avalanche” threatens.
AfD faction leader Alice Weidel accused the “traffic light” coalition of leading the country to ruin. “Your policies are destroying Germany,” she said. “Twelve months of traffic lights, that is twelve months of willful destruction of our economy and our prosperity, twelve months of patronizing, paternalism and conversion of the citizens, twelve months of politics by a government that preaches restrictions while going for it.”
Katharina Dröge, leader of the green group, called for more efforts to protect the climate. “Those who take the climate crisis seriously know that we will have to make a lot more efforts.” In the transport sector in particular, the pace must be increased considerably.
(SDA)