Relative to what? One can indeed observe that the Gini coefficient figures for European countries are below that of the US, and that their spread is relatively minor. But, on one hand, I addressed the Sweden example to imply that the rot in Europe is broad, thus it could be lower. On the other hand, the Gini coefficient is not static, it is increasing more or less across the board: we are moving towards US conditions, and already reached US conditions of a couple of years ago. For illustration, here is a diagram I left out from my Trickle-up Recovery diary for brevity:

he speaks of the middle class as people with a certain qualification (as Jake put it "tenured worker"). You speak of people with a certain income.

Correct. But Fricke mixes the two, when social mobility is discussed.

The other, well isn't that exactly the purpose of social benefits?

That was the minister's point indeed. The real issue is of course how that helps the warring arguments about how to change the system.

Of course they prefer the SPD, but they will usually prefer the CDU above the left

That's only the Realos maybe not even all of them, I think. As nanne said, there are only a few local Red-Green coalitions, those in cities (it's not just Koch who is incompatible) - while you could say much more about SPD-CDU coalitions under the same terms.

(Haven't heard an attack on the Ehegattensplitting in quite some time now).

Three weeks ago, the Greens met the bishops:

BÜNDNIS 90/DIE GRÜNEN Bundespartei - Gespräch von BÜNDNIS 90/DIE GRÜNEN mit der Deutschen Bischofskonferenz

Beim Thema Familienpolitik unterstrichen die Bischöfe den engen Zusammenhang von Ehe und Familie. Die auf Ehe gegründete Familie sei die beste Grundlage für ein gelingendes Leben in Partnerschaft und Solidarität über Generationen hinaus. Daher sei unbedingt am besonderen Schutz der Verfassung für Ehe und Familie festzuhalten. In diesem Punkt vertraten die Grünen die abweichende Auffassung, dass es für Familie auf Kinder und nicht auf Ehe ankomme. Ebenfalls traten die Grünen dafür ein, das Ehegattensplitting abzuschmelzen. Ausführlich wurde auch die von den Grünen geforderte Aufnahme von Kinderrechten in die Verfassung diskutiert.