Did the SPD win the jackpot?
Scholz for the right wing of the SPD and Nahles for the left and Schulz can make himself popular as foreign minister. Steinmeier and Gabriel showed how it is: Traveling around the world and acting paternalistically as mediators, that goes down well. The media always give a foreign minister a good picture, the manipulation of the public works marvelously. And if Merkel resigns, Strahlemann Schulz presents himself again as candidate for chancellor. Then he would have to outdo Nahles and Scholz, who are also waiting for their chance. But it doesn't have the format of Willy Brandt or Helmut Schmidt. The SPD still has to wait for this jackpot.
In any case, after sending Schröder and Gabriel into the Orcus, the SPD no longer vies so openly for the favor of the upper middle classes. Gabriel's armaments sales have stabilized the share price of Henschel and Rheinmetall, and the toleration of lignite mining has saved the energy companies' returns. These friendships could not be converted into votes, because the audience was not behind the light but rather chose the same CDU and AfD.
Whether Schulz will grow beyond himself, rise above his functionary status and become party leader, it does not look like it. But is the time ripe for a leader who doesn’t use tactics but instead goes in a direction? In France they believe they have found this leader in Macron. But the current economic boom must first collapse before a direction can be identified: even more dull nationalism or a resurgence of the trade union movement. The political class of the countries of Europe is directionless and with difficulty accepts the economic dominance of Germany. And Germany pays to Turkey, Greece and Italy, who bear the brunt of the influx of refugees. A political solution should look different. In any case, Scholz will reject the financial responsibility for the refugee crisis.
What is the difference between a right-wing social democrat as finance minister and a minister from the CDU? It will be hard to tell the difference. But that is exactly what the Social Democrats want to demonstrate: that they are just as capable of regulating the finances of the state and serving the welfare of the upper and middle classes. Occasionally, the population is given back a part of the tax revenue. But just not too much so that there is still enough left for military armament, they call it “alliance obligations”.
After all, there is now money for 8000 additional nursing assistants, ie that each nursing home receives half a job more funded. Of course, recruiting additional caregivers will only be achieved by plundering Eastern European health systems; Everything else would be too expensive.
And the start of social housing was delayed for a long time, so that now, when the need is great enough, it can be presented as a great gift.
The partial release of labor contracts has been granted to the trade unions, otherwise they will lose even more members. If left and right-wing parties get more popular at the next election, then you can then reduce the percentage of deadline agreements allowed again a little.
And the increase in child support and maternity pension creates at best a small inflation compensation. Nothing changes in the strangulation of the lower class.