Federal Transport Minister Volker Wissing from the FDP has cautioned his party against considering leaving the traffic light coalition. In an interview with the “Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung”, Wissing warned against oversimplifying complex societal issues by calling the traffic light coalition stupid. He raised questions about the benefits of other coalitions and highlighted that even with the CDU alone, conflicts cannot be avoided. Wissing stressed the importance of working together across party lines as mandated by the voters to address social conflicts and achieve compromises that can gain majority support.
Wissing refuted the speculation that the FDP might be planning to exit the coalition with the adoption of economic policy resolutions at its upcoming party conference. He emphasized that the party conference is for determining policies aligned with the social market economy, not for discussing the fate of the traffic light coalition. The FDP aims to address the concerns of dissatisfied voters and present their perspective on societal issues. Wissing pointed out that other parties like the SPD and the Greens also make demands that may not align with the FDP’s views, demonstrating the need for negotiation and compromise in politics.
Recently, the FDP received criticism, particularly from the SPD, for its economic policy proposals that include potential reductions in the welfare state. The Liberals intend to deliberate on various key proposals for an economic turnaround at their party conference to address such criticisms and clarify their stance. Amidst speculations and criticisms, the FDP remains focused on defining its policy positions and contributing to the coalition in a meaningful way.