German coalition on the brink: Leaders clash as tensions rise
The situation within Germany's coalition government, consisting of the SPD, Greens, and FDP, is becoming increasingly tense. Will it last until the next elections? German newspapers see little chance of it. "No country wants to be governed in this way. The current state of affairs is due to the three alpha males in the coalition playing a game to see who loses their nerves first," writes "Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung."
"Better new elections in the spring than nearly another year in this state. Future coalition partners should urgently learn from the failure of the SPD, Greens, and FDP," states "Süddeutsche Zeitung," adding, "There is hope that this government will end in three weeks at the latest."
Christian Lindner, Minister of Finance and leader of the FDP, gave two interviews that essentially resembled divorce complaints. "When the FDP leader accuses the Vice-Chancellor from the Greens of 'conceptual helplessness' on television, complains that the Chancellor from the SPD didn't consult him on new proposals, and whispers that perhaps 'everyone will have to put their cards on the table,' what else can it be but preparing the public for the fact that the coalition is no longer able to function?" writes an influential newspaper from Munich.
"Of course, it's generally not good when a government falls prematurely—especially during its first term—because it shows that politicians who formed it didn't live up to their responsibilities or couldn't control themselves. Such a failure isn't a sudden event but the result of public inadequacy." One of the Chancellor's statements says, "All these numerous disputes have made many Germans tired of politics. The quarrels deprived the country's economy of any orientation. This state of affairs would continue for another year if the government remained in office."
Why does the coalition still endure?
According to "Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung": "The coalition remains intact only so that its 'partners' can blame each other for not adhering to the coalition agreement. Robert Habeck takes the initiative regarding the repeatedly presented German Fund, which he knows antagonizes the FDP. Olaf Scholz initiates the 'industrial summit' at the Chancellery, which promises nothing new, apart from the fact that the FDP convenes a competing summit, which also offers no novelties," the article states.
"Such provocations are typical in the interplay between government and opposition, yet it's the least responsibility the coalition government has shown. No country wants to be governed in this way. The current state is a result of the three alpha males in the coalition testing each other's limits," it concludes.
