Last night (Thursday, 10:15 PM, via ZDF....Channel Two of public TV in Germany), they ran the Maybrit Illner public forum show. I should note....it's done live.
It's typically a round-table group, and generally always a political or economic forum.
So on this show was Annalena Baerbock (Green Party Chancellor candidate, and co-boss of the Green Party) and Christian Lindner (leader of the FDP Party) are guests. These two are part of the team building the coalition for the SPD Party (the winner of the September federal election here in Germany).
So Illner reached some point in the discussion....then turned to Baerbock and asked: "Did Mister Lindner negotiate better than you?"
What draws this is that from the original round of talks....most of the big things that the Green Party wanted.....were heavily diminished. 130 kph speed limit? Zeroed out. More taxation? Zeroed out. Control of the Finance Ministry? Zeroed out.
As Illner asked the question....you could see that Baerbock was gritting her teeth, and this was a very unpleasant discussion topic. They did flip the camera over to Lindner, who was in a mild grin....trying hard not to overplay the moment.
Yes, Lindner played the whole negotiation so far for the new German government....like a poker game, and has come out ahead on each round.
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