Seventy days following the assumption of office by Friedrich Merz, the Green Party leadership, comprising Felix Banaszak and Franziska Brantner, have issued a critical assessment of his administration’s performance.
Banaszak, speaking to the Tagesspiegel, stated, “After 70 days of the Merz government, it is clear: a social focus is completely absent”. Brantner echoed this sentiment, criticizing, “70 days of the Merz government – and the economy continues to await a genuine signal of renewal.
Merz, following his election as Chancellor in early May, had initially indicated a shift in national sentiment expected by the summer. His government aimed to demonstrate successes within a timeframe shorter than the traditional 100-day benchmark, seeking to achieve results in just 70 days.
The Green Party leaders contend that these promises have not been fulfilled. Specific areas of concern include the failure to reduce the electricity tax for private households, the postponement of pension reforms and the potential for a broken pledge regarding the minimum wage.
Banaszak also expressed concerns regarding progress in social policy, alleging a divisive atmosphere. “There are no advancements in social policy – instead, there’s a cold cultural conflict. Those who make naturalization more difficult, halt family reunification and trivialize the rainbow flag are not uniting the country, but dividing it” he asserted.
Brantner focused on the shift in economic policy, criticizing what she perceives as a regression. “Instead of guiding the economy into the 21st century, a course rooted in the fossil past is being cemented” she said, referencing recently approved gas drilling permits and subsidies for agricultural diesel. “Germany needs a government that invests boldly in the future. Instead, we are getting fossil nostalgia, a lack of planning and broken promises” Brantner added to the Tagesspiegel.
