Markus Söder, the Minister-President of Bavaria (CSU), has publicly demanded that the black-red federal coalition government accelerate its pace of decision-making. Speaking to “Bild am Sonntag” Söder argued that, given the coalition partners’ poor historical poll numbers and the current economic crises, the parties must overcome their internal blockades. He emphasized that the speed of decisions must increase, stating that it is insufficient to drag out processes indefinitely. Furthermore, he urged the political parties to try and move beyond their ideological comfort zones.
Although Söder maintains his belief in the coalition’s goals under Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU), he noted that despite the initial difficulties, the hope remains that the country can quickly return to track following the colorful “Traffic Light” era. However, he points out that the external pressure and challenges have intensified, citing US tariffs and the energy crises triggered by events in the Middle East over the past five years. He stressed that this escalating external pressure necessitates a profound increase in internal momentum, which, according to him, is nowhere near where Germany needs to be.
Worrying about the rise of the AfD and the current low polling figures, the CSU leader warned against a paralysis within the coalition, noting that the capability of the parliamentary democracy was at stake. Drawing a historical parallel, Söder argued that the Republic of Weimar failed not because of radical forces, but due to the weakness, weariness, and exhaustion of the democrats themselves.
Regarding concerns that Chancellor Merz is governing the nation too technologically and institutionally, Söder dismissed these critiques. He acknowledged that Merz has done “well so far” even if the overall results are not yet satisfactory. While he did not detail recent public disagreements between Merz and Vice-Chancellor Lars Klingbeil (SPD), Söder emphasized the positive sign that engaging passionately behind closed doors demonstrates genuine commitment.
Finally, Söder staunchly rejected any debate about an early collapse of the coalition, characterizing such thoughts as “suicidal fear”. Instead, he concluded that what is needed now is the necessary patience to “drill these thick logs”.