Federal Minister of Justice Stefanie Hubig (SPD) criticized CSU leader Markus Söder regarding the cancellation of the “relief premium”. Speaking to RTL and ntv, the SPD politician stated that Söder had been part of the team responsible for the original decision. She disagreed with any statement suggesting the premium was dead, adding, “I don’t know if one person at the end decides everything-and that person was involved in the negotiations-we’ll have to wait and see”. However, Hubig noted that the Federal Council had halted the entire initiative. She stressed that a discussion is now necessary to determine how to proceed.
The SPD minister also urged the entire coalition to calm down. When asked if the coalition committee meeting scheduled for Tuesday was the definitive showdown to prove if the Union and SPD could still cooperate, Hubig responded negatively. “No, that is not the case. This coalition can work together, despite all the disagreements we have”. She maintained that disagreements are sometimes necessary, especially when structural reforms are at stake. Nevertheless, she added that she also believes it is important for the parties to argue more quietly, emphasizing that conflict is only useful when done to properly account for the interests of both sides.