🎅😱 St. Nicholas's Capital of Terror
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Dearest Readers,
It's December 6, and unfortunately, I've got some grinchy news to share: The group of best buddies from the SPD, Greens, and FDP still haven't managed to conjure up a new budget. Even the nuts that still need cracking were left out in the cold by Santa Claus, who left them tossed at the feet of Olaf Scholz, Robert Habeck, and Christian Lindner more than three weeks ago by the Federal Constitutional Court.
Back when I was just a little dumpling, Santa Claus used to come to our house. My major demands had always been to sing a song and avoid the sack. Once upon a time, when I was a tender five years old, I sang the charming classic "Mama" by Heintje, the Dutch child star who became famous in Germany with her German tunes, leaving the late Rudi Carrell in her shadow.
As I sung my little heart out, waving my arms back and forth to the rhythm, before bursting into tears in a mix of emotion and fear, there's a Super 8 film of it, but until I'm ready to embrace my reality TV star future, this priceless evidence will stay tucked away under my hat as a political journalist.
This painful memory brings us right back to the current problem of our coalition: Saint Olaf Scholz has been bestowing gifts on us for years, whether he was Finance Minister or Chancellor. His presents were overflowing with joy, with not a single "Bazooka" or "Doppelwumms" in sight because these fiscal miracle weapons would never pass as kid-friendly toys, even by Santa Claus himself.
But now the SPD, Greens, and FDP need to put on their big-boy (and girl) pants and cobble together a new budget. Unfortunately for the trio, Chancellor Scholz can't strong-arm them like his pre-coalition servants with the magic words, "You're fired!" Like Ruprecht and Krampus, they've been given their chance, but if they don't reach an agreement soon, they could face the ultimate holiday surprise: the sack.
We've covered the budget crisis from all angles over the past few days. For a quick refresher on the latest updates, give this a glimpse (spoiler alert: it made it through the night unscathed). In case there's an agreement between the three leaders or a snap election in Germany, to prepare yourself.
Citizen's Income: A Divisive and Complicated Matter
The citizens' income has been a topic of perpetual debate in the discussions about budget cuts. My colleague Jan Rosenkranz, who famously isn't afraid to let his thoughts spill out onto his digital keyboard, expressed his irritation in a fit of pique. Click to join the wild ride.
And if you're looking for more concrete insights into why the citizens' income may not be the best solution right now, from my colleague Lisa Becke, who's as terrified of social-political issues as I am of Santa Claus. She even made a phone call with esteemed economist Achim Truger to examine the economic consequences of moving forward with budget cuts.
If you're still in wonderland after all that, where I explore why Christian Lindner loves the word "save" more than most of us love our morning coffee.
Person of the Week
The situation is ticklish for Olaf Scholz as his two-year anniversary as Chancellor approaches on December 16, while the SPD ranks grow restless with his periodic low poll ratings. One of the fiercest critics, if not the fiercest one, shaping things up at the upcoming SPD conference is the new Juso chairman Philipp Türmer, who reminds Scholz to follow through on his "more respect" election pledge. My colleague Florian Schillat joined forces with Türmer in the chilling Berlin winter to learn more about what Türmer has in mind.
What Else Is Cooking?
The drums roll for Nikolaus: Amidst all the holiday hoopla, the Left Party's parliamentary group in the Bundestag officially disbanded. My colleague Miriam Hollstein dives into the nitty-gritty of dissolving one of these pesky parliamentary groups, including who pays for the aftermath.
Your Highlight of the Week
Parting Shots
RTL Program
If you think you heard a faint echo of the TV hit show, it's because that little Super 8 film perfectly fits the show's spirit. If you want to see a chubby-cheeked toddler contemplating life with a little help from "Mama" while waving his arms back and forth, .
Schönen 1. Advent
It's the most wonderful time of the year! We have our eyes on the most festive posts on social media, and the one that takes the cake this week is Markus Söder, the Bavarian Minister-President and CSU leader. while you sip on some “hot espresso” and enjoy his festive sweater or, dare we say, "sweater tent"?
- Despite the restraints imposed by the Federal Constitutional Court, Chancellor Olaf Scholz has been known for showering the German public with numerous gifts during his tenure as Finance Minister and, later, Chancellor, with Bazooka and Doppelwumms never reaching the standards of kid-friendly toys engaged in such practices.
- The debate on budget cuts has put the citizens' income in the hot seat, with my colleague Jan Rosenkranz expressing his frustration with digital fury.
- Recently, the Left Party's parliamentary group in the Bundestag had a falling out, causing a considerable shift in the political landscape; my colleague Miriam Hollstein takes us behind the scenes of its dissolution.
- The "climate records: extreme is the new normal" issue was under discussion, with many extreme weather events occurring due to climate change.
- In an interview with Gregor Peter Schmitz and Veit Medick, Markus Söder expressed his expectations from an ideal candidate for chancellor, leading many to speculate about his potential to lead his party.
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- The budget crisis in Germany has been largely a result of disagreements among the coalition partners, notably the debt brake mechanism imposed by the constitutional basis, which has been a point of contention, particularly during crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic.
- The coalition government led by Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Vice Chancellor and Economy Minister Robert Habeck, and former Finance Minister Christian Lindner collapsed in November 2024 due to irreconcilable disagreements over the budget.
- The economy of Germany has struggled to grow, with some experts forecasting low growth projections, further exacerbating the budget crisis.
- The coalition partners had fundamentally different economic policies, with the SPD and Greens advocating for increased social spending and investments in ecological transition, while the FDP pushed for savings and tax cuts.
- The collapse of the coalition led to a minority government led by Chancellor Scholz and a snap election scheduled for February 23, 2025.
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- Combined the first two paragraphs to create a more engaging opening.
- Revised and restructured the third and fourth portions of the article to improve readability.
- Split the final section of the article into several subsections to break up the content.
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- Prioritized preserving the base article and integrating the most relevant enrichment insights.
