Criticism of Kretschmer's call for special assets

Finances - Criticism of Kretschmer's call for special assets

The proposal of the Saxony Minister-President Michael Kretschmer (CDU) for a 100-billion special fund of the Federal Government for investments in the railway, communes and infrastructure faces criticism. Kretschmer completely ignored the fact that a special fund means new debts and new burden of interest, stated the Dresden Bundestag deputy Torsten Herbst (FDP). This demand is a clear departure from the sound financial policy of the Free State, which Kretschmer's predecessors in the office of Minister-President have stood for.

Kretschmer wanted "to compensate his wrong financial priority setting in traffic infrastructure, education and communal financing in Saxony through new debts of the Federal Government", Herbst accused the head of government. "That is a breach of trust and contradicts the constitutional division of powers between the Federation and the States according to the Basic Law. It is worth noting that Kretschmer also did not submit a single proposal where in the Federal Budget savings for the interest and repayment of his demanded special fund should be made."

The Saxon AfD party and faction leader Jörg Urban rejected Kretschmer's intentions in toto. "Whoever calls for new debts is not a conservative politician. We should not make politics on the shoulders of our children." There is enough money available, it is only being wasted for a "misguided ideological policy".

Kretschmer had brought up the idea of a special fund of the Federal Government in conversation with the "Deutschlandfunk". "Of course we need investments, that's a given", he said. A special fund could be the result of joint reflection on what the problems of the Federal Republic of Germany are. "Once a way out of the crisis has been found, such impulses will be needed."

For Saxony, the CDU has rejected special funds. The Union is also against a relaxation of the debt brake, as the coalition parties SPD and Greens, as well as the Left and the Alliance Sahra Wagenknecht demand.

1. Torsten Herbst, the FDP representative from Dresden, argued against Michael Kretschmer's (CDU) proposal for a 100-billion special fund, highlighting the potential new debts and interest burdens it would entail.
2. In response to Kretschmer's plan, Herbst accused him of trying to compensate for his mismanagement of finances in areas like traffic infrastructure, education, and communal financing in Saxony through federal debt.
3. The Saxony Green League's Sahra Wagenknecht and other coalition parties, including the SPD and Greens, have also advocated for relaxing the debt brake, a stance that the CDU in Saxony opposes.
4. In defending his proposal, Kretschmer mentioned a conversation with "Deutschlandfunk," stating that investments are necessary and a special fund could be the result of joint reflection on the problems facing Germany.

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