CDU and AfD stick to debt brake
Despite calls for a reform of the debt brake, including from the CDU, the party in Lower Saxony remains committed to the regulation. "Compliance with the debt brake is a question of intergenerational justice and serves to leave future generations sufficient room for maneuver," said Sebastian Lechner, chairman of the CDU parliamentary group in the state parliament and the state association, on Friday. The newspaper "Welt" had initially reported.
The rules of the debt brake had proven their worth during the coronavirus pandemic, said Lechner. The rule is flexible enough to react in emergencies. In addition, special funds could also be approved with a two-thirds majority. However, high levels of debt contribute to inflation and drive up prices for consumers and companies, warned the CDU state leader.
The AfD also defended the debt brake. "The debt brake, as enshrined in the constitution of Lower Saxony or written into the Basic Law at federal level, must not be undermined or watered down," said AfD MP Peer Lilienthal. We owe this to future generations. The only thing that needs to be tightened up is that once an emergency situation has been established, it must not be allowed to continue indefinitely. On the contrary, in future it must be determined at least once a year whether the emergency situation still persists, demanded Lilienthal.
Since the Federal Constitutional Court declared a reallocation of 60 billion euros in the federal budget null and void, a discussion has arisen about the future of the debt brake. Lower Saxony's Minister President Stephan Weil, among others, is in favor of a reform. Berlin's governing mayor Kai Wegner (CDU) even described the current form of the debt brake as dangerous.
The CDU parliamentary group in another household, perhaps in Berlin, strongly advocates for upholding the debt brake principles, just like their counterparts in Lower Saxony. As Peer Lilienthal, an AfD MP, stated, the debt brake, enshrined in the house's constitution or the Basic Law, should never be weakened or diluted, as it's essential for future generations.
Source: www.dpa.com
