On Friday 15 October, Germany’s Social Democrat (SPD), Green (die Grünen) and Liberal (FDP) parties laid the groundwork for a new government headed by Social Democrat Olaf Scholz, which, in the event of a final agreement, would return the Christian Democrats to the political opposition.
On the foreign policy front, the three parties want to increase the EU’s “strategic sovereignty”, in particular through greater cooperation between European armies. The transatlantic relationship should, according to them, remain a central pillar of Germany’s external action, and NATO remains indispensable for the country’s security.
The three parties also stress the importance for the EU to protect “its values and the Rule of law both inside and outside its borders”.
They also highlighted the need to invest in stimulating the environmental and digital transitions. But all three political forces agree to reapply the currently frozen budgetary debt brake to tackle the Covid-19 pandemic and revive the German economy.
We want Europe to experience “strong economic growth, based on sound and sustainable public finances”, say the three parties. “The Stability and Growth Pact has proven its flexibility”, they add, as the European Commission relaunches its reflection on the future of fiscal rules on Tuesday 19 October.
Another key measure announced is the increase in 2022 of the hourly minimum wage from €9.6 to €12.
See the tripartite agreement (in German): https://bit.ly/2XdOw3w (Original version in French by Mathieu Bion)