Wolfgang Schäuble has done his presumably last week as federal finance minister, which he wanted to do for a long time: he gave French President Emmanuel Macron German answer to his vision for European Union to be founded.
This is quite unusual: Schäuble is attacking next government, which he will not belong to. The veteran of federal government is also staged as only true European political authority in Berlin. That speaks for healthy self-confidence. But not for more.
Claim and reality often fell far apart
The CDU politician Schäuble has played many roles in his life. But in no one has been attributed so much power, influence and success as in that of federal Finance minister. A man with almost superhuman energy, according to this narrative, has enriched German DNA around Black Zero; He saved euro because he gave strict breeding master to euro-states.
He has led Germany out of financial crisis and even endured to be praised as a thrifty Schwabe-although he is in fact Badener. However, if one makes narrative a narrative, facts of past eight years speak a different language. Yes, Schäuble has successes. But he also has many defeats to insert. But above all it is striking: Schäuble did not design itself.
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Demand and reality fall far apart from outgoing finance minister-as regards his national plans, his European and international projects. Schäuble preached to save Europeans, but gave out billions with both hands.
The fact that he has been able to present a black zero for four years, i.e. a balanced budget, is due to favorable circumstances: good economy, low commodity prices and monetary policy of European Central Bank; Schäuble saved billions of interest. Behind splendour remained concealed how often Schäuble had to give in small. He thought car toll was wrong, but did not let it fail. He was opposed to promoting e-cars, but filled corresponding conveyor pot. He found that EU Commission was far too lax against deficit countries, but took all decisions in Council of Ministers. The alleged Hercules proved to be half Hercules at best.
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It was always same principle: experienced politician had best to look at people’s mouth and calm it down, with clever words and clever plans. Only he could not enforce it. He envisaged vigorous action against tax loopholes, but did not manage to organise majorities for it. Instead, Schäuble later had to take decisions against better knowledge.
In end, did Schäuble not have as much power as he was attributed to him? In any case, it is striking that country’s chief financial officer has not been able to exploit its possibilities with strongest economy in Europe. In case of European financial Transaction tax, for example, Schäuble would have been able to try to persuade euro partners of this tax by its position as a de facto euro group chief. Instead, he surrendered responsibility to small Austria.
Experience and power could not be achieved in a national success. This shows missed tax reform. It should have been enshrined in Coalition Treaty, which certainly did not happen. Instead, Schäuble admitted that it was agreed not to raise or lower taxes. The Minister of Finance was thus in a state of idleness.
Neir strategy nor finesse
Even elsewhere, Schäuble did not succeed in overcoming coalition arithmetic through a clever strategy or tactical finesse. The reform of inheritance tax degenerated to a formula compromise because Bavaria stubbornly stood up. A similar fate struck Bund-country financial settlement. Schäuble negotiated so badly that he alone was Prime minister from 16 federal states. The CSU even managed to draw left on ir side. In future, rich countries will no longer help weak-it pays Covenant. Schäuble’s balance sheet also includes fact that he has accepted conditions too often instead of fighting. He used that much money in federal budget to fight over whitewash. That’s not going to be his successor anymore.
All this may have been considered by power politician Schäuble when he decided to educate Bundestag in future. As his president, he can follow his hobby in Europe without having to pay attention to cumbersome coalition discipline. He is guaranteed to speak.
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