GDL head Claus Weselsky believes that Family Minister Lisa Paus' (Greens) negotiating strategy has failed when it comes to her heart's desires. The union boss told “Spiegel” in an interview that the minister's actions left him “stunned.” He didn't see any strategy and Paus had nothing left to achieve. “The fair is said,” Weselsky, who is also a member of the CDU, said of the proposed law.
According to the head of GDL, the Minister of Family committed the central error last year: Paus had then estimated twelve billion euros for his project. She wants to combine cash payments with basic child welfare and ensure that all families eligible for benefits receive them in the future. Due to the high costs involved, the FDP in particular is taking a stand. Weselsky's advice: “You should only give numbers if you are very confident in yourself. Under no circumstances should you throw them away carelessly like the Family Minister.”
This is how Weselsky would have negotiated basic child safety
In fact, Paus had to cut back a little later: there are now only 2.4 billion euros available for basic child welfare. In an interview with Spiegel, Weselsky is surprised that Paus has recently repeated her mistake: the minister intended to create 5,000 new jobs for the law, something she could not maintain after an FDP uprising. “That's the clumsiest thing you can do in a negotiating situation,” the union boss said.
Weselsky himself, instead of Pau, would have been the first to probe the FDP's basic willingness to negotiate. “Then you have to lay your cards openly on the table with the other person and tell them clearly what you want,” he told Spiegel. Only then can you use openness to create understanding in the other person. The GDL boss is sure: “If I negotiated like Paus, they would have kicked me out of the house a long time ago. That's right.”
On Wednesday Paus now has the opportunity to put his advice into practice: Representatives of the traffic light coalition will meet on Wednesday in the coalition committee. Then it may also be about the contentious issue of basic child safety. Negotiations on the budget for next year are still ongoing: the ministries must draw up savings proposals by April 19, on the basis of which Finance Minister Christian Lindner (FDP) will develop a budget concept. Government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit said on Monday of the dispute over 5,000 jobs: “The entire federal government is struggling to find the most effective solution possible.” No one “builds a great public administration out of jokes and tricks.”