The SPD reacted with incomprehension to the public dispute between Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck (Greens) and Finance Minister Christian Lindner (FDP). “The public exchange of letters is a ritual in which everyone involved loses,” said SPD General Secretary Kevin Kühnert to the “Spiegel”.
“It tarnishes the reputation of the sender, it annoys citizens and it doesn’t solve any problems. The guidelines of the traffic light coalition are the jointly agreed projects in the coalition agreement.” The task is to implement these projects, according to Kühnert. “We will only be able to clarify how exactly we do this in a confidential conversation – not by post.”
Ministers Habeck and Lindner clashed violently on the 2024 budget and wrote sharp letters to each other, which each became public. “We ask you not to make any further public or internal pre-determinations that unilaterally prioritize further expenditure,” Habeck wrote to Lindner. He expressly mentioned the areas of share pensions, the German armed forces and sales tax reduction for the catering trade “representing the ministries led by the Greens”.
Lindner rejected Habeck’s claim in a letter. On the one hand, he is surprised that the green ministries apparently no longer accept the key figures for the 2024 federal budget.
Even at the top of the SPD parliamentary group there is irritation about the form of the exchange. “I don’t understand why two ministers who have each other’s cell phone numbers don’t talk to each other and instead exchange letters,” said SPD parliamentary group leader Verena Hubertz. “It would be good for us as a traffic light to discuss different ideas constructively and confidentially.”
