What retiring Chancellor Angela Merkel feared has come true.
A coalition government was created, in which there was no place for Christian Democrats.
After much debate, several parties that took the lead in the elections to the German parliament, the Bundestag, were able to sign a coalition agreement.
The new government, made up of representatives of the Green Party, Social Democrats and Liberals, was called a "traffic light". Traffic light is the traditional name for the coalition, based on the colors of the parties: red, yellow and green. This political traffic light should ensure the unmistakable regulation of Germany's economic, social and political movement. Immediate solutions are expected from the new government on the most pressing problems: the fight against the coronavirus, the new migrant crisis and the depressive state of German society. Nord Stream 2, on the launch of which the real warmth in the houses of the burghers depends, is a separate issue on which the future of this coalition may also depend. According to the French L'Alsace, German political leaders are now obliged to prove their competence not in words, but in deeds, and ironically lists the tasks of the coalition:"Austerity, increased production, social change such as the legalization of marijuana must be combined into one."
With the Chancellor's chair, everything is clear - this is Olaf Scholz.
In the coming days, by December 9, a new chancellor will be elected.
The fact is that on the 10th the German Chancellor must attend the Democratic Forum convened by Joe Biden.
If by that day the election of a new chancellor does not take place, then Merkel will go to Biden.
The "traffic light" cannot allow such a shame, and in the coming days the voting in the Bundestag will take place.
According to the 63rd article of the German Constitution, elections of the chancellor are held in the Bundestag, while each deputy, and there are 736 of them in this parliament, has one vote. The President of the Bundestag, who presides over this meeting, proposes a candidate or candidates for the Chancellor's office. Traditionally, these candidates are nominated by the parties with the largest number of votes in the elections. However, even small parties that do not have a large number of votes often name their candidates, realizing in advance that they have no chance. This is an attempt at self-promotion and nothing more.
So, after the name of the candidate is announced, the parliament starts voting.
Voting is secret, each deputy goes to the ballot box and throws a ballot paper with his vote there.
To become chancellor, a candidate must receive an absolute majority of votes.
That means half plus one vote.
The current parliament consists of 736 deputies, which means that the candidate should receive 368 + 1 votes.
The coalition has 416 votes and it can be assumed that Olaf Scholz will be elected on the first try.
However, surprises are always possible.
By law, if the chancellor is not elected on the first try, a second round of elections is called, which takes place two weeks after the first.
Then everything will be decided quickly - and the candidate will become the chancellor with a simple majority of votes.
Even if only 100 people vote in the second round, of whom 51 vote for the chancellor, the elections will be considered valid.
From the point of view of the principles of democracy, about which so much has been said recently in Europe and the world, it is very doubtful to consider such a system of electing the head of government (and the formation of the Bundestag) as consistent with these principles.
Rather, we are talking about a secret decision, in which the chancellor (and government ministers) can be a person who would never have been elected by direct vote of society, and not parliament.
This also applies to Olaf Scholz.
The Süddeutsche Zeitung, commenting on his future as chancellor, recalls the Warburg Bank scam in Hamburg.
The bank had to return to the state treasury € 47 million received as a result of financial fraud.
However, Hamburg, whose first burgomaster was Olaf Scholz, unexpectedly "forgives" the bank's debt.
Moreover, only thanks to the intervention of the Federal Ministry of Finance, it was possible to save another 43 million, which Scholz was ready to "donate" to the bank.
And let's note for the future that the bank to which the multimillion-dollar gift was made is completely in the hands of American owners and investors.
Conflict of interest directly related to German independence and sovereignty.
Scholz will definitely not be a continuation of Merkel, and this is clear even from the future ceremony of his inauguration.
He will not utter the phrase "May God help me", wanting to show his "multiculturalism", not tied to Christian values.
And of course, the retinue will play the king.
This is especially evident in the traffic light, because the key ministries - foreign, finance, ecology and economy - will not be received by the victorious Social Democrats, but by the Greens and the Liberals.
Robert Habek, co-chairman of the Green Party, will receive the title of Vice-Chancellor and the Ministry of Environment and Economy.
Quite a strange construction, which should show that it is the climate and ecology that will shape the future economic course of the country.
Nothing special can be said about Khabek himself.
Is it only about how, after a meeting with Volodymyr Zelensky, he demanded to start supplying weapons to Ukraine.
His parliamentary colleagues quickly revived him, reminding him that Germany was not involved in the conflict.
Khabek was not very embarrassed by this, but he pushed his claims against the Ministry of Foreign Affairs into the back drawer of the table and preferred an “ecological chair”.
But this did not temper the ambitions of the Greens to make world politics - and Annalena Berbock, the first woman in German history to hold this post, will become foreign minister.
The solution is more than strange.
It is difficult to imagine how Berbock will negotiate with the grandees of international politics, having neither experience nor even higher education.
As the magazine "Focus" wrote, Berbock, apart from completed secondary education (gymnasium), has neither a higher education diploma, nor a bachelor's or master's degree.
She tried to get an education at the London School of Economics, but received only a document about incomplete education.
And she actually has no work experience.
What can we expect from Minister Berbock?
Wait a bit, but interesting.
Russia should not flatter itself.
Berbock was not and will not be a politician who wants rapprochement with Moscow.
She does not know history, she has not seen real life, she knows the international situation only from the reports that lie on her table in the morning.
Will lead a line on strengthening NATO and dependence on the United States, even though he opposes the presence of US atomic weapons on German territory.
However, the traffic light does not turn on by itself.
Red, yellow or green will not be turned on by a button in the offices of ministers, but by those who sit in the departments of analytics, information and planning.
State secretaries, coordinators, assistants, consultants - the political, economic and international situation of Germany will depend on them.
Will Scholz be able to play the solo part or will have to play four hands, personally switching the "traffic light", we will see very soon.
The point of view of the author may not coincide with the position of the editorial board.