Government - Ramelow and Voigt want agreement: Budget on December 21
A budget compromise for 2024 is becoming more likely after a meeting between CDU parliamentary group leader Mario Voigt and Thuringia's Minister President Bodo Ramelow. After a meeting lasting several hours on Friday, both brought up the possibility of the budget being passed shortly before Christmas - the parliamentary groups are discussing December 20 and 21. "My optimism has increased after the meeting," said Ramelow. Voigt called for improvements to the government's draft budget and "real savings", as well as movement on migration policy. However, he also said: "I want us to get a budget done."
Ramelow's red-red-green governing coalition does not have its own majority in the state parliament. It is reliant on compromises with the opposition. The government's draft budget for the 2024 super election year has a record volume of 13.8 billion euros so far. According to Voigt, the CDU is insisting that the state does not use up all of its reserves for a rainy day. Ramelow said that initially 250 million euros would remain in the financial reserve at the beginning of 2024, and that by the end of 2024, the new government would have around 700 million euros to count on. A new state parliament will be elected in Thuringia on September 1.
At the beginning of the week, the government had made compromise proposals to the CDU, including the renunciation of a constitutional complaint against the reduction in real estate transfer tax it had pushed through. Voigt then invited Ramelow to talks.
Waiting for corrections to the billion-euro budget
The state parliament's budget committee postponed its decision, which was originally planned for Friday, on more than 500 amendments that have already been submitted. It is therefore waiting for the corrections that the governing coalition will present.
The committee is expected to meet again on December 14, its chairman Volker Emde told dpa. According to Ramelow, the cabinet will discuss the results of the meeting this Tuesday. According to the meeting, both sides seem to agree that Thuringia's coronavirus/energy aid fund should not be dissolved immediately, but rather in the course of 2024. 200 million from the so-called special fund is to flow into the financial reserve.
Existing sticking points on the way to the budget resolution
Voigt made it clear after the meeting that his parliamentary group insisted on savings. He did not give any figures. According to dpa information, in addition to the "global underspending" offered by the government - effectively a savings amount of 150 million euros over the course of the year - a further 100 million euros is required. The budget should formally fall to around 13.7 billion euros, according to budget politicians.
In addition, the CDU does not want any additional jobs in the state civil service - and certainly no high-paying ones - as well as a concession from the red-red-green coalition on its demands regarding refugee policy. This includes stopping the state's admission programs for Afghans and Syrians. "Something has to change fundamentally in state politics so that Thuringia can achieve a budget," said Voigt. Ramelow spoke of a "need for clarification in some peripheral areas". According to the Left Party politician, his main concern in migration policy is to ensure that more refugees find work quickly.
As little risk as possible in the vote
"I assume that there will be no wild vote on the budget in the state parliament," said Thuringia's head of government. Theoretically, the CDU, AfD and FDP could also decide on a budget together against the minority coalition. It would be a first for the opposition to pass a budget in a federal state - with unpredictable consequences. According to Voigt, there could be a second meeting in the second half of next week.
AfD parliamentary group leader Björn Höcke accused Voigt and Ramelow of backroom politics. They were undermining "a parliamentary process that has been established over decades". There had been months of time. The draft budget has been in the state parliament since mid-September.
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Source: www.stern.de
