There is little planning in foreign policy because the international (crisis) situation often develops differently than expected.

It is not even attempted in the coalition agreement, much remains vague or describes wishes that cannot be fulfilled by Germany.

This applies, for example, to the nuclear disarmament that the future federal government wants to achieve, or to relations with the great powers, whose progress does not depend on Berlin alone.

At least it becomes clear that the USA and the West as a whole are our partners.

It is recognized that the relationship with Russia is difficult and that with China is characterized by competition.

In view of the understanding of Russia in the SPD and the widespread equidistance thinking in Germany, this is an important consolidation of the status quo.

Opaque three percent mark

This also applies to two places where the SPD has sharply changed direction: the procurement of armed drones and the adherence to nuclear participation, including the purchase of new fighter-bombers.

One wonders why the party only came to this realization when it was able to take over the Chancellery and Ministry of Defense.

The two percent target of NATO, however, disappears in an opaque three percent mark for "international action".

The allies can count; they will continue to insist on the fulfillment of the German commitments.

What it meant that Israel's security was German reasons of state was already unclear when Merkel once formulated it;

it does not serve as a guideline for dealing with the complex realities in the Middle East.

Otherwise, the Ampel-Coalition wants to perceive its foreign policy “with a serving understanding of the EU as a whole”, it should be feminist and value-based and lead to a “federal European federal state”.

All of this is phrased on the left, but will often fail due to the interests of partners and adversaries.

After all, the EU is apparently not supposed to increase debt borrowing, but instead increase Europe's “strategic sovereignty”.

That is the real challenge in the new age of global power and turf struggles.

It goes far beyond foreign policy.