"Negative omens prevail at this beginning"
Smooth Sailing for the Federal Government? A Rocky Start, According to Insiders
The new federal government has taken office, but some suspect the start was less-than-ideal. For the first time in German history, a chancellor was elected in the second round. How strong is Chancellor Friedrich Merz? That's the question on everyone's mind, and Maybrit Illner addressed it on her show, "Maybrit Illner - Tonight."
Federal Minister of the Interior, Alexander Dobrindt, seems optimistic. "In a situation that we didn't choose, that we didn't want, that had never happened before, we were able to work together constructively and trustfully to solve a problem, meet a challenge, with the participation of the Greens and the Left," states the CSU politician. Despite the difficulties, Dobrindt finds this collaboration to be an encouraging sign. "It's better to have a challenge solved at the start than a honeymoon at the beginning and a fight later." Dobrindt brings up the selfies taken before the last coalition, hinting at a lack of trust between the FDP and the Greens, which he believes was not present this time around.
But not everyone shares Dobrindt's optimism. Green faction leader Katharina Droge believes this coalition is off to a rough start. "This is not just a lack of trust in Friedrich Merz, but a lack of trust in the entire coalition," Droge pointedly states. The task of the faction leaders of CDU, CSU, and SPD was to prevent such an incident as the bumpy chancellor election, Droge explains. "This start is under a bad omen, and this coalition is on shaky legs," Droge warns, emphasizing the need for the coalition partners to address these underlying issues.
The cooperation among these parties is crucial, as the government does not have a two-thirds majority in the Bundestag, requiring the support of the Greens and the Left for certain projects. However, Dobrindt rules out joint legislative projects with the AfD, a far-right party. Instead, the Union might engage with the Left on "procedural decisions." This stance could lead to the first dispute within the coalition, as politicians from both the CDU/CSU and the Greens have criticized the Union's handling of the AfD.
In the realm of migration policy, Dobrindt has already made some significant decisions. He aims to strengthen border controls, leading to an increase in overtime for federal police officers and possibly more relaxed security at train stations. Another contentious measure is the proposed rejection of asylum seekers at the border; however, pregnant women, children, and vulnerable groups will be exempt from this policy. Dobrindt maintains that he is not declaring a national emergency but instead focusing on improving the European system as a whole.
Overall, the new German federal government will need to navigate these early challenges and prove its ability to work together effectively for the benefit of the country. Time will tell whether the coalition partners can maintain their cooperative approach and move towards a more secure and prosperous future for Germany.
- The European Parliament, the Council, and the Commission may closely monitor the new-elected Chancellor Friedrich Merz of Germany, given the country's uncertainty and the chancellor's inexperience.
- Maybrit Illner, a renowned German journalist, might find it interesting to address the incompatibility between the coalition partners in EC countries, such as the CDU/CSU, SPD, Greens, and the Left, in her show "Maybrit Illner - Tonight."
- It would be noteworthy for general news outlets to cover the noticeable differences in the politics of the new German federal government, particularly in addressing war-and-conflicts, policy-and-legislation, and crime-and-justice, compared to its predecessors.
- The EU's migration policy might witness a shift as Chancellor Merz implements measures to strengthen border controls, potentially leading to a more robust discussion on war-and-conflicts and crime-and-justice issues in the European Union.
- The stance of the Union's exclusion of the far-right party, the AfD, from joint legislative projects could raise eyebrows and generate controversy within the European Parliament, as it may be perceived as a step that could further complicate matters of politics, policy-and-legislation, and crime-and-justice in the EU.
