In North Rhine-Westphalia there was an election: And again the CDU won. In “Anne Will” there is an election analysis. Chancellor Olaf Scholz is said to be responsible for the defeat of the SPD. What is discussed between the lines: Is the traffic light at the end after half a year?
What happened before the discussion on “Anne Will”. The CDU and the Greens won big in North Rhine-Westphalia. Moderator Ingo Zamperoni interviewed the winner of the election, Prime Minister of North Rhine-Westphalia Hendrik Wüst. ARD man Zamperoni notes that winner Wüst remarkably often mentioned climate protection on the evening of the election. A friendly invitation to the Greens in North Rhine-Westphalia? Wust dodges. And says: “The decisive thing is: What is good for the people in our country?” He doesn’t want to commit himself. That’s obvious. But not surprising either.
At the ARD talk “Anne Will” then SPD leader Lars Klingbeil dodged. He says about the NRW election: “It’s not decided with today.” Moderator Anne Will rightly points out that this sounds a lot like Armin Laschet and the lost federal election. Don’t you know anything specific? Thin ice on which the SPD boss moves. Klingbeil therefore quickly switches: “Mr. Wüst is the winner, he is leading the talks.” And adds a phrase: “In the end, what counts is that this country is being led through a crisis.” He doesn’t seem very confident that evening. But how? How should he sing the SPD losses beautifully?
Ex-Minister Jens Spahn from the CDU is happy about this. “An incredibly great evening,” he said. And: “It’s pretty clear,” he comments on the election result, “but you can only be sure when the time comes.” And, to Lars Klingbeil’s torment, he clearly adds: “It is the historically worst result of the SPD.” The posters in North Rhine-Westphalia with the chancellor? “That didn’t work!” Let’s continue, Spahn clearly has fun. Now the government is under attack. He, Spahn, thought six months ago: “The traffic light: Wow, that’s going to be really difficult for us!” And then, he reminds us, it quickly began to crunch – with compulsory vaccination, energy, weapon deliveries. “The traffic lights were only unanimous when it came to cannabis,” etches the CDU politician.
“Zeit” journalist Mariam Lau sees it similarly. The NRW election is a “note for the traffic light”. Chancellor Scholz showed too much “arrogance,” says the publicist. “And lack of transparency.” That is “totally risky”. Yes, the “Chancellor stands there damaged”. SPD leader Lars Klingbeil is struggling. Was it a mistake, moderator Will wants to know, to campaign with Olaf Scholz? No, no, says Klingbeil. “There is a clear commitment from the NRW-SPD to Olaf Scholz.”
How do the Greens see it? Ricarda Lang, Co-Federal Chairwoman, reports on “Anne Will” about her party’s focus on “climate neutrality and social justice”. And says: “The task is greater than individual sensitivities.” According to Lang, it’s about the heating cost surcharge and “child benefit for families with little money”. And Olaf Scholz? In any case, approval of the chancellor sounds different.
FDP man Christian Dürr is also trying to get the traffic lights to shine. Despite the “bitter election defeat” in North Rhine-Westphalia, he sees it, “as a liberal, you have nerves of steel”. Sounds good. And before Dürr wants to deal with his traffic light coalition partner SPD, he prefers to give a clear opinion on the opposition: “In the end, the Union landed like a rug.” We note: green is currently particularly bright in this traffic light color mixture .
