Since there are now really enough comparisons from road traffic for the upcoming coalition, here's one from the trade: Even if it is clear which step follows which, it is pretty important who takes the first step and whose, like on a production line So hand forms the thing first.

Mona Jaeger

Deputy Editor in Charge of News.

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This picture comes from the chief picture developer of the SPD, Kevin Kühnert. He said it with a view to the new leadership of his party, and how important it is if you - or the people you support, Saskia Esken and Norbert Walter-Borjans - have a say in political decisions from the start and set the tone can. But the comparison also fits very well with the current discussion between the traffic light explorers. And here the SPD also plays a not entirely unimportant role.

Robert Habeck, co-chairman of the Greens, also has a good feel for images. He talked about the screw that should be inserted correctly so that it does not get stuck when it is screwed in. Habeck's screw is the Treasury. It is the start of the production line. Because this coalition, which is still in the making, which is already calling itself the “progress coalition”, wants to shape a lot. And that costs money. The post of Federal Minister of Finance has always been influential and powerful, see Olaf Scholz. But it may become even more important in the next four years. Because he watches over the billions for climate protection, digitization and infrastructure.

It's not entirely clear how much Habeck aspires to the Treasury.

But the post would probably appeal to him.

On the other hand, the ambitions of Christian Lindner, the FDP chairman, are quite indisputable.

He wants to go in there.

And that's just the most obvious point where there is creaking, especially between the FDP and the Greens.

The screw can still tilt in some places.

At first there was a lot of harmony.

Failure is not an option, it was said everywhere.

That may actually be the case.

And all three traffic light partners absolutely want to rule - and basically have no alternative partners to choose from.

But of course there are still a number of points of conflict.

The fundamental dissent between the FDP and the Greens has not been resolved: How much state is good, how great should its scope for intervention be?

Lindner had said: “There is the Federal Chancellery, there is the Finance Ministry, and there is a new Climate Ministry. And I am of the opinion that each of the partners must have the opportunity to work creatively. " Habeck immediately criticized this. And also the SPD chairman Walter-Borjans, admittedly in the tone of a youth hostel father who gently admonishes: "I expect that we will do what we have also agreed: namely that we first talk about the content."

Lindner immediately rowed back, apparently over the target.

Because in the twelve-page exploratory paper there is absolutely no mention of a climate ministry.

Whereby Walter-Borjans also fails to mention that departmental questions are also questions of content.

It will not be completely irrelevant whether it is led by a self-confident Green or an FDP politician.

Especially because it has not yet been foreseeable whether a climate ministry would have the comprehensive right of veto, as was demanded by the Greens in the election campaign.

The exploratory paper still leaves many questions unanswered.

It remains vague in many respects, especially funding.

The coal phase-out should "ideally" take place in 2030, eight years earlier than previously planned.

What does such an ideal world look like?

For investments in digitization, network expansion and infrastructure alone, 50 billion euros are needed by the state - per year, says the Greens co-chair Annalena Baerbock. The soundings were not so in-depth at the point. The result paper only mentions revenues that cannot be easily planned, such as those from the intensified fight against tax evasion and the revenues from the global minimum tax. Habeck tried to invalidate that right away: "The finances are better supported in the discussions than the paper reproduces."

On the weekend, the Union faction fired press releases almost every minute that strongly criticized the previous agreements of the traffic light partners. The parliamentary group chairman Ralph Brinkhaus spoke of a “bad check” issued by the SPD, Greens and FDP. Even if there is the usual (opposition) roar - one cannot completely contradict it at the moment.

The talks are now entering the next, really crucial phase.

It will crunch, no question about it.

The fact that the Greens came together for a small party congress on the weekend therefore served one thing above all else: managing expectations and deflating.

Yes, the Greens couldn't get everything through.

But hey, rule!

That was the message from the party leaders and members of the negotiating team.

But there was also criticism.

Ricarda Lang, deputy party leader and part of the exploratory team, said: "We will have to improve on social policy."

At the end of the day, the Greens will vote on a coalition agreement.

It is also a leverage that the green negotiators have in their hands.

From their point of view, well-measured criticism does not have to be so bad.