Christian Lindner: “This traffic light exists because of Markus Söder” | EUROtoday

DThe farmers are after all there once more. Dozens of tractors drove into the outdated port of Lübeck on Tuesday. Flashing, honking, chanting, wishing the federal authorities to hell on posters and thru highly effective loudspeakers: “We’re fed up.” Or: “Turn off the traffic lights!” Nothing new from the north. Schleswig-Holstein's farmers, who put Federal Economics Minister Robert Habeck of the Greens in misery firstly of the yr, are nonetheless on the fence.

After all: issues are extra civilized within the Hanseatic metropolis than on the ferry port in Schlüttsiel. While the farmers exterior are shouting their displeasure into the Lübeck wet sky, the native farmers' affiliation president Heinrich Mougin is making an attempt to debate the query of the worldwide competitiveness of German farmers with Federal Finance Minister Christian Lindner inside, within the “Hafenschuppen 6”, which has been transformed into an occasion location. “We can’t even compete with the EU with our national requirements,” complains Mougin, “that’s our problem.”

Lindner, whose ministry invited individuals to the “Now” residents’ discussion board within the harbor shed on Tuesday afternoon, is giving the farmer official no probability within the dispute that follows this lawsuit. “That’s not my position at all,” counters the minister. “My position is that, first of all, there should be uniform EU harmonization so that the four percent set-aside per year is eliminated. Do you think that’s good?”

“That’s fine,” admits the farmer’s board. “If you could swap,” Lindner provides, “agricultural diesel or four percent set-aside? Which would you choose?” “We need both,” the official replies shortly. “It doesn't work that way,” the finance minister contradicts, “I'll add one more thing: glyphosate? Yes or no?” “We need it,” solutions the farmer, now just a little extra sheepishly.

The Finance Minister in an interview with WELT AM SONNTAG

“So!” says the finance minister triumphantly. “To whom do you actually owe it that you can continue to use it? The German federal government, because we made sure of it. Otherwise it would have expired.”

Farmer Mougin tries to withstand once more. But that doesn't work. He clearly misplaced the duel with Christian Lindner. He generously offers the farm official a number of gives to take with him on the way in which house. “I'm ready to talk to you, specifically: manure regulations, new breeding methods for plants, antibiotic monitoring, stable conversion… Make a long list, I'm at your side.”

Farmers in Germany have been demonstrating towards cuts in agricultural diesel for weeks. The Bundestag has now permitted the discount in tax reduction for farmers. The anger amongst farmers remains to be nice; additionally about strict environmental rules from Brussels for brownfield websites.

Lindner parries all accusations towards the site visitors mild

Farmer Mougin is identical for everybody who desires to accuse both Christian Lindner, the FDP or the site visitors mild coalition in “Hafenschuppen 6”. The Federal Minister of Finance eloquently, pointedly and convincingly parries all accusations that the site visitors mild coalition is pursuing a coverage that’s too anti-social, too bureaucratic, too hostile to small and medium-sized companies and too pleasant to companies. But that doesn't assist the FDP chief in any respect exterior of the residents' discussion board. The protesting farmers are honking and booming louder than ever. And the FDP, Lindner's celebration, is at 4 p.c within the polls.

That wouldn't be sufficient to get again into the Bundestag, to not point out a relaunch of the site visitors mild coalition. Christian Lindner's celebration mates are correspondingly nervous. Only a slim majority of FDP members voted on the flip of the yr for the Liberals to stay within the site visitors mild alliance. Even within the Lübeck harbor shed, the opinions of the viewers, most of whom appear to favor the finance minister, differ.

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Dissatisfied younger males

“It would be better to continue, even if I find it a bit unbearable how things work between the parties,” says Torben Schwark from Lübeck.

“Pull the handbrake and step out. It’s better not to govern than to govern badly,” recommends André Dellin, FDP member from Scharbeutz.

“Stay in, definitely. The main thing is to finish the job,” calls for Friedrich Pahlke from Ratekau, additionally a FDP member.

“For me it would now be the end of the reign. New elections,” says Birgit Solbach from Lübeck.

The FDP chief doesn’t attain the hearts of his listeners

Christian Lindner, his look in Lübeck leaves little doubt, is a superb political salesman. This makes the query all of the extra urgent as to why his FDP has misplaced a lot floor within the final two years of presidency. In any case, his listeners in Lübeck are reasonably at a loss. “Communication” is commonly talked about as an issue, “the mood”, “the situation of the current federal government”, the dissatisfaction of “normal FDP voters” with the site visitors mild coalition, with the Greens, with Robert Habeck.

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Something else is noticeable in “Hafenschuppen 6”. No matter how flawlessly and professionally Lindner acts in entrance of an viewers, the FDP chief doesn’t attain the hearts of his listeners. Flawless, just a little too polished, he stands in entrance of an viewers that listens respectfully however not often applauds. Lindner is just not at a loss for a solution, doesn’t hesitate, nearly bursts with demonstrative self-confidence. Admitting errors, then again, is clearly not a part of the finance minister's repertoire. Not in Lübeck. Not wherever else.

Sandra Maischberger's speak present in mid-January, Lindner is a visitor. The federal authorities has simply withdrawn a number of the cuts within the agricultural sector. The Finance Minister explains why he understands the farmers' dissatisfaction. The following dispute then arises between Lindner and the moderator:

Maischberger: “I don't understand, if you had so much understanding in December, why you would then expect this already troubled group – and by the way also a group that likes to go on strike – to make two cuts. I don’t understand that at all.”

Lindner: “It’s just a cut now.”

Maischberger: “But before there were two. You did it with your eyes on it. Whose idea was that? It comes from the Ministry of Finance…”

Lindner: “Yes, it was a cut. And I stand by that too.”

Maischberger: “Two.”

Lindner: “In the end it was a cut and we made modifications.”

Maischberger: “In January. They took one back in January.” Originally, the federal authorities additionally needed to cancel the car tax exemption for agriculture.

Lindner: “The background is simple. Doing without the green license plate would have caused a lot of bureaucracy. Because black badges with new license plates should have been put up everywhere now.”

Maischberger: “You didn’t know that in December?”

Lindner: “No, there was a technical examination and you have to be able to make modifications based on technical examination and practical effects.”

Towards the top of this residents' discussion board within the Lübeck harbor shed, Christian Lindner as soon as once more identified that it was undoubtedly not the FDP that was answerable for the present uneasiness of the individuals with these in energy. “You can say quite openly that this traffic light coalition exists because of Markus Söder.” The CSU chief stopped supporting Armin Laschet in 2021, whereas he, Lindner, was the final fighter for Laschet’s chancellorship. Compared to this, the finance minister believes that the site visitors lights have achieved an ideal deal.

The tractors in entrance of “Hafenschuppen 6” are nonetheless honking at this second.