Germany will legalise the recreational use of cannabis, the country’s new coalition government has announced as party leaders struck a power-sharing deal today.
Two months after its defeat in the national election, Angela Merkel’s conservative CDU party was defeated, three of Merkel’s centre-left parties, including the SPD, Liberal Free Democrats, and the eco-friendly Greens, are poised to replace it with their center-left counterparts, The SPD and liberal Free Democrats.
The so-called “traffic light” coalition published today their government agenda. It stated that cannabis would be regulated, sold to adult users in licensed shops and also included a host of other measures like phasing away coal and taking steps to combat Covid.
Olaf Scholz from the SDP is now on track to become Chancellor, replacing Angela Merkel for the first-ever time in 16 years.
Scholz stated that he expected members from all three parties to pass the 180-page agreement within 10 days. After this, it will be binding.
Germany will legalize recreational marijuana use. This is what the new coalition government announced after it reached a power-sharing agreement and set out its plans for the next 4 years.
If party members agree, the three-way alliance, which is not yet tried in a national cabinet, will take over the present ‘grand coalition’ made up of big traditional parties.
More than a month has passed since the negotiations began. This agreement is the foundation for what’s known as the “traffic light”, a coalition named after each of the party’s colours.
International partners will welcome the relatively quick agreement with relief, wary of Germany being effected by crises in Belarus or from the coronavirus virus pandemic.
Scholz of the centre-left Social Democrats stated that the new government will not be seeking ‘the lowest common factor, but politics with big impacts’
As part of an ongoing post-war tradition, he stressed the vitality of a sovereign Europe and friendship with France as the cornerstones for the government’s foreign policies.
Merkel’s Christian Democrats of center-right have been the minor partner in the Social Democrats.
Merkel didn’t seek a fifth term and is likely to be succeeded in her place by Scholz, 63. She has been Merkel’s vice chancellor and finance minister since 2018.
These three parties would be governing parties stated they hope Scholz is elected to the office of chancellor during the week commencing Dec. 6.
This deal needs to be approved by the Greens’ 125,000 strong membership, as well as conventions of both the other parties.
According to the agreement, Olaf Scholz (centre), the leader of the SPD party will be Germany’s next chancellor. He will replace Angela Merkel who has been in office for 16 years.
Merkel was leading what is likely to be her last Cabinet meeting when the news about the deal broke. Scholz gave the bouquet to Merkel, 67, which has been leading Germany since 2005.
Negotiations for the alliance went relatively smoothly and quickly compared with previous talks.
However, Germany has been unable to respond effectively to coronavirus outbreaks due to its political transition with Merkel acting as the lame duck caretaker.
Closed-doors negotiations have yielded few details, such as how parties will split up ministerial portfolios.
Because it brings together two traditional left-leaning party with one, The Free Democrats, who has been known to allay with the center-right, this alliance can be tense.
Last month, a preliminary agreement indicated that Germany will extend the deadline to end the use of coal-powered power by 2038 to 2030.
The Free Democrats insisted that the potential partners say they will not raise taxes nor loosen debt-control restrictions, so financing is a key issue.
Merkel’s Christian Democrats have been busy with an election for their next leader. This will help to revive the party after its disastrous election results.
It was surprising that all three parties, known as the Ampel in Germany or the ‘traffic light’ after their colors, came together at such a rapid pace considering the FDP’s lack of natural partners with the Greens or the SPD.
However, the parties want to avoid another messy negotiation like the one last year when Lindner was ridiculed for pulling out of talks with Merkel’s CDU-CSU or the Greens.
In an electoral flop, Merkel’s CDU (Conservative Democratic Union) party is thrown from power. This follows her departure as leader as well as as as Chancellor.
Merkel’s steady handling of Germany during the crisis in the eurozone, the migration influx and Brexit is a hallmark of her popularity with German voters.
A veteran politician was conscious of how important it is to have a stable Germany. He has worked hard for an orderly transition.
She stressed continuity by including Scholz in important bilateral meetings at the G20 summit in Rome, October. This included with US President Joe Biden.
Scholz attended the meeting of 16 German state leaders last week to discuss urgent pandemic concerns.
She also dismissed the fact Scholz is from a different political party and said she would be able to sleep well with him as chancellor.
Scholz, a former labour minister in her first coalition, was voted in confidence by Merkel. She then became vice-chancellor, and later finance minister, in 2015.
His reputation for being meticulous, confident, and fiercely ambition has earned him the title of fiscal conservative. He sometimes clashes with his workers party.