Formation of a government in Berlin: is this what the new era looks like?

That much tinsel was rare.

If the traffic light coalition, as Olaf Scholz suspects, comes about by Christmas, the Bundeschristbaum will shine with red, yellow and green balls.

Like the explorations, the “progressive coalition” will also accompany its negotiations, which in fact shouldn't take long, with a lot of social-liberal eco-poetry.

Because that is what has held this alliance together so far: the power of words.

Does it also turn into words of power? Already after the exploratory talks it becomes clear where the SPD, Greens and FDP are talking too much and where they can live up to their claim of organizing a start to modernize the country. What makes you suspicious that she does not succeed in her alleged heart chamber, of all things, in climate policy.

The three parties are foregoing new hardships, which is understandable in view of the latest price developments. The carbon price, a central point in the election campaign, is not even mentioned in the exploratory paper. As announced by all relevant parties, the share of renewable energies is to be radically expanded. But how that should work in practice, the SPD, the Greens and the FDP do not seem to know either. You leave it to the countries to make the impossible possible. The coal phase-out should "ideally" come as early as 2030. That can mean anything.

The three partners want to “consistently” develop the Climate Protection Act in line with the Paris Agreement. However, the climate targets are to be checked “across sectors” and within the framework of a “multi-year overall calculation”. This is not a step forward, but a step backwards. The CDU / CSU and SPD had agreed on an annual review in which each individual ministry must answer for its goals. This was obviously only progress as long as the ministries concerned were led by the Union parties. Now it could hit the SPD and the Greens, so get away with it.

The red-yellow-green progress cannot muster up a tax reform either. Rather, all three partners do without their favorite projects. There should be no tax increases and a wealth tax. But tax relief for small and medium-sized incomes, as promised for years, will also be canceled. The exploratory paper does not even mention the solidarity surcharge - because of this the Jamaica exploration failed in 2017.

A departure for another republic can at best be spoken of in terms of social, pension and social policy. Here the kinship of the soul of at least the left wing of all three parties is noticeable. The replacement of the basic security with a “citizen's allowance” is an exciting project - exciting because all three parties want it, but prefer different paths. Does it come down to Har </MD> [LW-1] tz IV in a new guise or to the sloppiness before Agenda 2010? There are also interesting announcements in pension policy about funded and private old-age provision, two points that had to be pushed through by the Greens and the FDP against the SPD. In return, the SPD received a guarantee for the retirement age.

And of course the minimum wage.

What is curious about this passage in the exploratory paper is the sequence: First, the statutory minimum wage is to be raised to twelve euros, then the responsible commission of the collective bargaining parties can advise on how to proceed (actually the opposite was intended).

It is cynical to then assert that we want to strengthen collective bargaining autonomy.

In contrast, the assurances given to companies that they will not leave them alone in the transition to climate neutrality have turned out to be rather meek.

The three parties don't have much to offer, apart from “super depreciation” on climate-neutral investments.

That is apparently all that is left of plans to relieve the companies.

What should come now?

The three parties will not be able to excuse themselves, only in the coalition negotiations will it become clear what is really possible. What should come now? The SPD immediately agreed to further talks, the Greens did not hesitate long on Sunday, the FDP will be happy to follow on this Monday, in the absence of an alternative. If all three parties want it so deeply and sincerely: Why don't they forego the following indent negotiations? That would be a new beginning. In his first government declaration as Federal Chancellor, Olaf Scholz could remember Willy Brandt and say: We want to dare to do more government!

With this sentence, the CDU / CSU would have to mourn the missed opportunities that the 2017 election presented on the silver platter even more than in the last few years of their Chancellor.

Because more would have been possible with Jamaica than with this traffic light.

The Union is now painfully aware of their exploratory tinsel: the past four years have been wasted time for them to speak to Angela Merkel.