It's a home game for Christian Lindner, and the FDP chairman and federal finance minister knows that too.

Several medium-sized business associations have their headquarters in the association building on the banks of the Spree in Berlin. It is a clientele that has traditionally been politically particularly close to the liberals.

On Tuesday evening, these associations invited both Lindner and Economics Minister Robert Habeck (Greens).

There's wine, beer and beetroot salad in bowls.

Julia Loehr

Business correspondent in Berlin.

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At parliamentary evenings like these, it is common for entrepreneurs to take their concerns to the politicians present.

That also happens at this event - but more than that, Lindner places small tips against his coalition partner in his twenty-minute speech.

The green.

"Cause for Further Perfection"

The Minister of Finance begins his charm offensive and praises that he is the biggest admirer of German medium-sized companies ex officio: medium-sized companies are the engine of employment in the country.

Then he begins a kind of economic policy lecture.

"Some want to create a contrast between social and economic policy," says Lindner, employee versus employer.

But there is no such contrast.

"What did we experience, how the concept of growth was viewed critically," complains Lindner, knowing full well that this criticism can be found above all in the ranks of the Greens.

At the same time, it is clear: “Pro-growth policies are the prerequisite for social justice.”

Then he comes to the long-running political issue, energy policy.

The process leading up to the nuclear decision now ordered by the chancellor certainly offered “cause for further improvement”, states Lindner, which also contains a certain amount of self-criticism.

But the result counts.

Every kilowatt hour counts.

"Uni-ideological, pragmatic energy policy is the order of the day." Finally, Lindner outlines how he wants to reform Germany's business model: The world's highest taxes and the world's lowest gas prices, that no longer works.

"We will therefore have to have a discussion about whether we shouldn't also improve our tax policy framework."

Robert Habeck could now say something about each of the points as he enters the stage.

But he's not here to talk corporate tax rates.

He prefers to talk about the big picture.

That in a social market economy like Germany's "economic prosperity ultimately serves the common good".

That one shouldn't forget that Russian President Vladimir Putin is attacking the very foundations of this society - and that he shouldn't be allowed to win.

And neither will.

"I don't expect any praise for the federal government now," says Habeck.

"But we as a country have also done a few things right." First secure the gas supply with liquid gas purchases, then the 200 billion euro defense shield - that was fine.

"There is a certain hope that we will have enough energy to get through the winter." Yes, a few decisions "could have been made faster, cleaner and more decisively", the nuclear dispute was not a highlight.

But all in all, it was politically "okay".

At the very end, the question-and-answer session with the audience is already coming to an end, and Habeck comes back to the subject of taxes.

And he also makes a small dig at his cabinet colleagues and something that is just as important to them as medium-sized companies.

"Why don't we lower the tax?" Habeck asks in the bright foyer.

"Because then we won't be able to comply with the debt brake.

As simple as that."