Because of its dependence on Russian energy, Germany is in an unusually defensive role within the EU.
In the summer, the federal government relied on “solidarity” energy supplies from its EU partners, with limited success.
It is now clear that a deep recession is far more likely in Germany than in practically all other EU countries.
In this situation, Berlin is always closer to the national shirt than the European skirt.
And yes, unlike many other highly indebted euro states, Germany can also afford additional debt of 200 billion euros in the short term.
Of course it is hypocritical that Italy, for example, protests against the "double boom" with the argument that the Berlin subsidies endanger the internal market.
Various Roman governments didn't care if they forbade interference from Brussels and Berlin in the past.
The outgoing Prime Minister Mario Draghi is not concerned with possible distortions of competition that the German package could cause.
Rather, the Berlin initiative is a welcome opportunity for him to bring an old wish, and one that is by no means just Italian, back on the agenda.
The logic is: If Germany can put its hands on 200 billion euros in energy aid, then it is only right and proper for the EU to set up another "coordinated" fund, financed with its own debt, this time for a "solidarity" burden-sharing in Germany the energy crisis.
The traffic light coalition had to see this discussion coming.
Parts of the federal government are probably even happy about it - even if the coalition agreement expressly states that the debt-financed EU Corona recovery fund should be a one-off, not permanent affair.
It is currently unclear how the Federal Minister of Finance, who has so far rejected the idea but has always been flexible, thinks about it.
In any case, one thing is certain: how the federal government could prevent another, this time European, "boom" is anyone's guess.
Berlin has extremely bad cards.