German Economy Minister Robert Habeck, a Green party candidate, has not yet given up on the Chancellor’s office. He does not trust the latest polls, saying in an interview with ARD, “I’m not quite sure if the polls really capture the mood in the country.”
Regarding the possibility of a black-green government after the election, Habeck refuses to make a prediction, stating, “There is no automatism after the election. The Union is a black box. We don’t know what we’ll get.”
Despite his initial impression that CDU leader Friedrich Merz could be relied upon, Habeck has criticized Merz’s willingness to form majorities with the far-right AfD in the Bundestag. “I had the impression that he’s a person who gives a lot of importance to reliability and agreement” Habeck said, but he does not think Merz is a trickster or a sly person.
Habeck plans to support local governments with investments in schools and kindergartens, which he believes are in dire need of funding, with a backlog of 55 billion euros. The proposed support is also a form of compensation for the burdens local governments have shouldered in recent years, particularly in the areas of refugees and youth work, where they have been overburdened.
The plan is also linked to a large stimulus program for the construction and crafts sector, with the goal of renovating schools and kindergartens “best within four years.” Habeck does not see a problem in interfering with the federal system, saying, “What’s important to me is not the federal order. If there’s a problem, it should be solved.”
The Green party politician advocates for the payment of the climate fund by 2027 at the latest, with the details of the distribution still to be discussed. It is possible that people who are dependent on cars in rural areas could receive more money than those with good public transportation in cities.
The Greens are relying on a “Germany app” to provide citizens with easy, digital access to all services from the federal, state and local levels. “It has to happen next year. It can’t be magic” Habeck said, acknowledging that the data would need to be more secure than in other apps, as it is being developed by companies that constantly create new things.