Consumer prices in Germany are expected to rise by about three percent in 2026—a level not seen in the 2000s and 2010s. One cause is the Iran war, which continues to drive up energy and food prices. For many citizens, inflation is thus the most pressing issue, ahead of other political topics.
Yet the new federal government of the Union and SPD is paying too little attention to the financial worries of the general population. The commentary sees this as a repetition of the mistake that significantly contributed to the failure of the traffic-light coalition: it cared too little about the hardships of average earners.
A Mistake with Consequences
The traffic-light coalition made this cardinal mistake, thereby enabling the rise of the AfD, the commentary argues. Whoever ignores the financial burden on the middle class drives voters into the arms of protest parties. Current inflation figures show that prices will rise significantly more this year than expected.
The government would have room to act, the commentary continues. It could, for example, design targeted relief for energy and food instead of just debating structural reforms. People are talking about how much is getting more expensive—and they expect concrete answers.
The commentary calls on the coalition to treat inflation as a central policy field. Whoever ignores the population’s biggest concern endangers not only social peace but also trust in democracy. The lesson from the traffic-light coalition’s demise is clear: the financial anxieties of the middle class must no longer be overlooked.
Source: www.sueddeutsche.de
