The gunsmoke in Wiesbaden's government district is gradually disappearing.

This provides a clear view of the background to the conflict that the two partners in the coalition have just fought out.

Ewald Hetrodt

Correspondent for the Rhein-Main-Zeitung in Wiesbaden.

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Mathias Wagner, the parliamentary group leader of the Greens, complained about a "strange process".

At the beginning of the week, the Ministers for Interior and Justice, Peter Beuth and Roman Poseck (both CDU), had prosecutors and investigators explain to the State Criminal Police Office that investigating sexual abuse of children would be much more effective with a working variant of data retention.

The smaller coalition partner criticized the fact that the two Union politicians shared the experts' demand, which was based on years of practical experience, and publicly confirmed this.

This position contradicts the view of the Greens in the traffic light coalition in Berlin and Wiesbaden.

Politicians lose their profile

From Wagner's point of view, Poseck went too far when he condemned the actions of the climate activists "Last Generation" and saw them as crimes that could range "from coercion to resistance against emergency services to, under certain circumstances, terrorist crimes".

The fact that politicians are only allowed to express their views publicly if they are acceptable to their coalition partner, i.e. another party, has serious consequences for democracy.

Politicians lose their profile.

Decision-making processes become non-transparent.

Controversial discussions only take place behind closed doors, differences of opinion are no longer recognizable to the public, muzzles are handed out and received.

This political eunuchism is not a Green fad.

As has been shown in Wiesbaden these days, it is based on a rule that has been in effect since the black-green coalition was formed in 2013.

This is to ensure that the coalition speaks with one voice.

Black and green have worked well together for nine years, Wagner emphasized when he came back to the topic on Thursday.

The Union does not deny that such an agreement exists.

Did the new justice minister not know her because he was no longer appointed to the cabinet by former Prime Minister Volker Bouffier (CDU)?

In any case, Poseck dutifully backtracked on Thursday.

"The relationship with the Greens is also constructive and relaxed in legal policy," he wrote.

“There is a very high level of agreement.

The coalition partners from the CDU and the Greens have also worked hand in hand on the currently planned strengthening of the judiciary.

This good and trusting cooperation will also shape the future.”

Black and green still holds

Wagner expressed the hope that the conflict was a cleansing thunderstorm.

As has been heard, the topic was also discussed in the joint coalition round.

And both sides agreed again that of course you shouldn't talk about it.

In this way they settled a conflict that both sides had pursued with caution.

The Union politicians violated the rules by taking off the black and green muzzle.

And Wagner reprimanded her for it in a press release that distracted from the content.

Now it's sunshine again.

But the desired impression is clouded by the fact that the sense of guilt in the CDU has limits.

The Hessian Minister of the Interior will continue to comment on security in the country, said a spokesman on Thursday when asked.

Even more meaningful is the reaction that Beuth and Poseck experienced after Wagner's press release at the confidential meeting of the CDU parliamentary group.

Participants unanimously report that the two received great praise and encouragement for their initiative.

The black-green coalition is not collapsing now.

But the partners get on each other's nerves.