Coalition factions expect budget agreement by Friday
According to Mast and Mihalic, the coalition factions could be summoned for special sessions as late as Friday - the last day before the Bundestag recess - to be informed about the basic principles of the budget negotiations. "We want our colleagues to go into the recess with clear information," said Mast. It is also conceivable that their faction will come together during the summer break to discuss the concrete implementation of the basic principles, said the SPD politician.
Mihalic left it open whether their faction will actually attend a special session: "We decide situationally." A special session during the parliamentary summer break, which begins next week, is ruled out by the Green politician. The faction has decided to spare the MPs that, said Mihalic.
Mast acknowledged that the budget deliberations are "challenging" and "not simple." However, he expressed confidence that an agreement could be reached by Friday based on the experience that "we have always come together in the major crises that have accompanied this coalition." The SPD politician also emphasized again what is important for their faction: The budget must contain "necessary resources for future investments" and ensure "external, internal, and social security."
For weeks, Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) has been negotiating with Finance Minister Christian Lindner (FDP) and Economics Minister Robert Habeck (Greens) to find a solution to the budget dispute of the traffic light coalition. A billion-dollar gap exists in the budget plans for 2025. Scholz expressed optimism about the budget talks for 2025 in a SPD faction meeting on Tuesday: "The budget talks for 2025 are 'on a good track,'" said the Chancellor to participants according to sources there.
- Despite the challenging nature of the federal budget negotiations, Mast expressed confidence that an agreement in principle could be reached by Friday, as the coalition factions have a history of coming together in major crises.
- Katja Mast mentioned that the coalition parliamentary groups could be summoned for special sessions as late as Friday, providing clear information about the budget negotiations before the Bundestag recess.
- In a special meeting, Irene Mihalic left it open whether their SPD faction would attend, stating that they decide situationally and have decided to spare MPs during the parliamentary summer break.
- The SPD politician, Mast, emphasized the importance of the budget containing necessary resources for future investments and ensuring external, internal, and social security.
- Household cleaning products might not be high on the agenda during the special sessions or the summer break, but the budget negotiations focused on the traffic light coalition's budget dispute for 2025 will likely affect income and expenses for many households.
