My Dear Friend of Democracy,
The Green Party (Bündnis 90 - Die Grünen) will not be part of the next German federal government.
Nevertheless, they have decided to approve a legislative amendment next week, allowing the next government (“Bundesregierung”) to increase government borrowing massively.
More precisely, the debt reform plan, put forward jointly by the conservatives and the SPD, would exempt defense spending from the country's constitutionally enshrined debt brake and create a special 500 billion euros fund for infrastructure investment.
The support of the Greens is needed to reach the two-thirds majority required for a constitutional amendment in the Bundestag, Germany's lower house of parliament.
The agreement now adopted is considered by many experts to be both historic and necessary - for more security in Germany and Europe, for an economic recovery.
The Greens could have reacted differently. They could have refused their consent. After this election campaign. Because during that campaign, the presumed next Chancellor, Friedrich Merz, had scored points with his electorate by promising to not loosening the debt brake. He had acted as if the demands of the changed security situation in Europe and the partially dilapidated infrastructure in Germany could be met from current tax revenues. Everyone involved knew that this wouldn't work.
The Greens could have let Friedrich Merz down.
They would have had good reasons for doing so.
They could have retreated into their new role as the opposition. They could have relied on the fact that without the many billions invested in infrastructure and without much money for security, the economy and public opinion wouldn't pick up, and the security situation would become more precarious. And as a result, the next government would lose its already limited trust among the people. The Greens could have done that. They could have prioritized political power politics over responsibility politics. Their chances in the next election would have increased.
Some parties would have acted that way. The Greens wouldn't. I take off my imaginary hat. And I (continue to) hope such policies can pay off in votes.
Democracy needs that.
See you in Democracy,
Johannes Eber
That was indeed a true political power-move. I would be very happy if other parties would also behave in such a mature and pragmatic way.