Sometimes stereotypes do not stand too much scrutiny, and the new German government for a post-Angela Merkel era, which will take office on December 6, is a good example of this.
rom a distance, the most eye- catching elements surrounding the new 177-page German contract for coalition is that there will be no maximum motorway speed limit – but cannabis will go on sale legally in licensed shops to prevent the sale of contaminated and dangerous products. Hardly a manifestation of rigid control-freakery with which Germany is on occasion labelled.
Irish people will take some time to learn the names of the principals from the three parties in this German “traffic light coalition” that brings together the red of the Social Democrat SPD, the yellow of the Liberal FDP and, of course, the Green Party. The new chancellor replacing the now universally recognised Angela Merkel will be Olaf Scholz of the SPD, a man with a pretty stunning reputation as the outgoing finance minister who played a central role in fixing the 15pc multinational company tax and breaking the taboo on EU borrowing for post-Covid 19 regeneration.
The co-leader of the Greens, Robert Habeck, whose party took almost 15pc of the vote and 118 of the parliament’s 735 seats, will become vice-chancellor and occupy a super- ministry in charge of the economy, energy and tackling climate change.
His fellow leader, Annalena Baerbock – the election standard bearer for the chancellor’s role – will become foreign affairs minister, the first woman to hold the post and the youngest incumbent at the age of 40.
The Green Party has…
Read More: Get to know the new Berlin government, it will have a big impact on us all