After two long months of negotiations Christian
Democrats (CDU/CSU) and Social Democrats (SPD)
have agreed on a programme for a coalition
government. The members of the SPD still have to
agree to the document in a referendum by mid
December, but there are no doubts that the majority
will accept the text. The new government would then
be established before Christmas. Looking at the three
pages of the chapter on financial reforms - out of 185 -
one can find a lot of business as usual and, with one
remarkable exception, no innovative impulse.
In the middle of the mainstream
Apart from some strong language against speculation,
the concrete proposals for regulation remain modest
and mainstream. No concern is voiced over a reform
process in the EU, which is stuck in the petty trifles of
more than 20 different directives, or over the finance
industry and its allies in governments, who try to water
down any meaningful reforms.