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In her opening speech in the Bundestag, Chancellor Merkel reveals surprising insights beyond the rules of the crown. The chancellor is losing political patience on many issues.
An analysis ofabout Corinna Emundts, tagesschau.de
It’s an amazing performance by the Chancellor. Not only in comparison to his previous speeches in general debates that had long since become routine after 15 years. Angela Merkel’s creed has always been: I have the situation under control, whatever the crisis. But in the current debate under the sign of the corona virus, many things seem different: not only because the Chancellor, in the end, addressed the audience directly with personal expressions of feelings and words of warning about the corona measures.
Astonishingly straightforward honesty
On the one hand, there is a surprisingly strong Merkel speaking at the lectern with a firm voice to parliament: she seems confident, despite the incalculable pandemic crisis, which she perceives as political impertinence. On the other hand, she gradually admits powerful political ideas and political errors, and that frankly.
The corona pandemic apparently has to serve for many bitter revelations of Merkel’s “late” era, for example, in the insufficient equipment of the health system. The pandemic has “made us aware” of the dependencies that have arisen in the purchase of medical products.
Eigenlob Poisonetes
He praises his government for the measure that hospitals will now be better equipped within the framework of four billion euros in investments for the health system. Behind this, however, is the bitter message about the deficiencies that have come to light in the Crown crisis, either in the municipal health authorities or in the acquisition of protective materials, for which the federal government.
The generously calculated federal budget related to the crown, which is the reason for this general debate, almost becomes a sideline. Because here too Merkel claims that they have managed to invest in the future and not just keep the substance, precisely because they have done well in recent years. But she adds the idea: “We are too slow in many places.”
The pandemic shows “that we can act quickly.” The development of the Corona warning app, which she describes as a success “despite all its initial problems,” has shown this to be particularly true in digitization. Praise, but the next admission follows: When it comes to digitization as a whole, the federal government is starting on its own, when it comes to digitizing the administration: “You have to be sober and say: We have a lot to catch up on. here”.
“Painful accomplishment” in school policy
When it comes to schools and their digitization, his claims are downright dramatic. CDU policy, which is otherwise generally cautious, even uses the word “painful” in its mouth: “We have painfully seen that the school and nursery are not up to date.”
That is why he organized a meeting with the ministers of education of the federal states together with the president of the SPD Saskia Esken and the federal minister of Education Anja Karliczek (CDU) – and comments it with an unusual phrase that refers to the previous sovereignty of federalism educational: “Normally you do that not in this republic.”
With such confessions, he makes it easier for his later opposition speakers to complain about the “educational emergency” in the country. For example, when Merkel is “astonished” that teachers, despite the tax relief for such equipment, have so far not reliably acquired computers. And that a spontaneous school summit at the Chancellery has now ensured that all teachers should have a laptop in the future. “Storm, Ms Merkel!” An opposition speaker scoffs, “that was a decision in 2016.”
Confession of climate protection
By revealing political shortcomings, Merkel’s speech is not without climate protection. Proposing that is “one of the great tasks of the future.” That sounds up-to-date, but in 2020, around 28 years after the legendary Rio Environmental Summit, it was more defensive and late than thinking ahead.
Merkel is beginning to justify climate protection measures, such as the elimination of coal, to her critics and, conversely, she also confesses to those for whom climate policy is moving too slowly: by promoting hydrogen technology, now identified by his cabinet as a key technology in climate protection, It took us a long time to decide this step. “
When it comes to common European action, without which Germany could not “develop” challenges such as climate protection or migration, the Chancellor, amid the German Presidency of the Council of the EU, is notably reluctant to speak critically in hindsight. . And he warns: How the current proposals of the EU Commission on migration policy are implemented is “a touchstone for the cohesion of Europe”.
But Merkel has repeatedly criticized in recent months that there has been no common European migration policy. Even this warning sounds like the greatest political dissatisfaction and concern about a new political failure.
Too slow, too hesitant, that should end now
Too slow, too hesitant: When it comes to education, digitization, migration and climate protection, Merkel is growing impatient in her last meters as chancellor. You have known for a long time that Germany is lagging behind in an international comparison. Apparently, she wants to shock her own grand coalition supporters with her words, from which the message “we have to get it right now” can be heard clearly.
In the federal government, the limits of the consensus-oriented policy of engagement are now clearly recognized, in which the interests of the German automotive industry or telecommunications companies, for example, with regard to electric mobility or expansion broadband, were so strongly regarded that they became a brake on modernization.
“The pandemic has the unpleasant quality that we don’t know when it will end,” Merkel said in the general debate. In any case, she already seems to have been enormously insightful. But the chancellor, who saw a lot of trouble even before Corona, seems freer and more confident today, probably because she no longer has to fight for her re-election.
