section_path: Background/Developing disagreements in the coalition
section_name: Developing disagreements in the coalition
paragraph_text: Developing disagreements in the coalition
  
  With the SPD and The Greens being considered centre-left and the FDP economically liberal, the ideological differences between the three parties led to challenges in the newly formed government from the start. This showed itself in disagreements in areas such as budget planning, environmentalism or social services, often resulting in gridlocks. Additionally, the country entered an economic crisis while under leadership of the traffic light coalition, leading to falling approval ratings.
  
  In November 2023, Germany's Federal Constitutional Court (Bundesverfassungsgericht) declared parts of the government's budget policy unconstitutional. Scholz's cabinet had reallocated unspent debt proceeds – originally designated to mitigate the COVID-19 pandemic – to its climate action budget. The court ruling left the budget €60 billion short. The government attempted to cover the resulting shortfall through re-allocating already planned funds, but this resulted in the 2023–2024 German farmers' protests and further decreased the public perception of the already unpopular government.