Journalist complains on “Anne Will”: “We are swimming in money – and the government is spending it with all its hands”

Have you ever noticed that there is a connection between crisis and ties. The open shirt collar was part of the new style for a long time. Anyone who currently sees the Chancellor or Vice-Chancellor always sees a tie – preferably in gray or black, like for a funeral. Is it really that far yet? At “Anne Will” on Sunday, the guests ask themselves the question: “Government in cash trouble – How hard is Germany hit?” SPD boss Lars Klingbeil is not wearing a tie that evening. So it can’t be that bad with the Social Democrats.

Electricity is becoming more expensive, as is gas: Karlsruhe has done it badly

Short of money, yes, pretty tough, I would say, even if I wasn’t invited to the ARD talk. After the Federal Constitutional Court’s ruling almost two weeks ago, things are going wild in this country. The Green Economics Minister Robert Habeck sees the economy shrinking, the FDP “wants to clear the air”, it is about a supplementary budget and the debt brake. And, yes, that is now also a fact: the electricity and gas price brakes expire at the end of the year. Let’s not even talk about the VAT increase in the catering industry from January 2024. Who will still be able to afford the schnitzel or the tofu burger in the restaurant in the future?

Uncertainty for companies – but the Chancellor will soon explain himself

“Deutschlandfunk” journalist Ann-Kathrin Büüsker says: “Very few people realize what is at stake.” She sees “enormous uncertainty for the economy, and no one was prepared for this worst-case scenario .” SPD leader Lars Klingbeil can at least agree on the point of uncertainty. But, as if that would make anything better: “The Chancellor will explain himself on Tuesday.” Then comes another turning point, a double whammy or even a super- Boom?

High blood pressure in CDU man Haseloff: “We clearly warned”

Reiner Haseloff, CDU Prime Minister of Saxony-Anhalt and a trained physicist, is usually a calm explainer. This Sunday he has high blood pressure. His head has a bright color. Moderator Anne Will reminds that Haseloff predicted this budget chaos as early as October 2022. “We clearly warned,” he says. But he also warns: “It must not be allowed to turn into a state crisis.”

Journalist complains on “Anne Will”: “We are swimming in money – and the government is spending it with all its hands”

FAZ journalist Julia Löhr is an asset to this program. She formulates clearly and cleverly. The government’s communication is “terrible”. Because: “The Chancellor says nothing, the Vice-Chancellor talks a lot and no one understands the Finance Minister.” Ms. Löhr believes: “We are swimming in money and the government spends it with all its hands. There are subsidies and funding for everything – it doesn’t work that way!”

Economist Fratzscher: “You can’t muddle along like this”

Marcel Fratzscher, President of the German Institute for Economic Research, sees it similarly. “Politicians have to decide where they want to set their priorities. You can’t muddle along like this.” Of course, SPD leader Klingbeil has to verbally avert this. He wants a reform of the debt brake. Sure, that quickly means more money – ultimately also from us taxpayers.

Business journalist Julia Löhr argues against this: “I am a big fan of the debt brake because it forces us to prioritize now.” CDU politician Haseloff expands on this: “For me, the debt brake is a set factor.” Ann-Kathrin Büüsker is of the opinion: “Finance Minister Lindner has de facto circumvented the debt brake.”

War, economic transformation, energy crisis: no government has ever been so bad

We note: the traffic light government has not had an easy time in the past two years. The war in Ukraine, the transformation of the economy and the energy problem are not trivial topics. But it is also true: no government has handled crises as dramatically badly as this one.

Things become forgiving at the very end. CDU man Reiner Haseloff refers to presenter Anne Will’s penultimate broadcast. “It’s a shame you’re leaving!” he says. And the ARD presenter is visibly happy. But he also quickly noticed that it was just a farewell to this format. So you will see them again. Let’s see.