Skills shortage - CSU General Secretary Huber: traffic light divides society
CSU Secretary-General Martin Huber accuses the Traffic Light Coalition of dividing society with their plans for tax relief for foreign skilled workers. "This is an unacceptable discrimination of our own population, and that is also another point where the Traffic Light Coalition is splitting the country," Huber said in Rottach-Egern, Bavaria. He spoke of a "slap in the face for the hard-working population in Germany." It is "incomprehensible why foreign skilled workers should pay less taxes than their own population."
The planned tax bonus can be found in the 31-page Growth Initiative, which the coalition summit decided on in connection with the compromise on the federal budget 2025 in the past week. The goal of the measures contained in it is to revive the stagnating German economy. To make Germany more attractive for foreign skilled workers, newly arrived skilled workers should be able to pay no taxes on their gross salary for the first three years in the amount of 30, 20, and 10 percent.
"Taxes for all should be lowered"
Huber continued: "It's about lowering taxes for all and ensuring that work pays off again." The Traffic Light Coalition has so far only taken measures that make work less attractive. This includes, for example, the Citizen's Income and the problem that the Minimum Wage Gap no longer applies.
The CSU Secretary-General emphasized the need to abolish Citizen's Income and ensure that work and performance are rewarded again. Our own population should not be disadvantaged. He added: "It cannot be that the one who gets up early every day, goes to work, keeps the country running, has to ask himself in the end: Am I the fool?"
The Traffic Light Coalition's proposal for tax relief for foreign skilled workers has sparked controversy in Bavaria, with CSU Secretary-General Martin Huber labeling it as discrimination against the local population. The Bundestag should reconsider this issue as it contributes to a divide in the society.
In response, Huber advocates for a broader tax relief policy that benefits all workers, stating, "It's about lowering taxes for all and ensuring that work pays off again." He critiques the Coalition for measures that are making work less attractive, such as the Citizen's Income and the Minimum Wage Gap.
The CSU Secretary-General, addressing the Federal Government, emphasizes the importance of abolishing the Citizen's Income and reinstating the principle that work and performance should be rewarded. He expresses concern for skilled workers in Germany, particularly the "hard-working population," who might feel disadvantaged by such policies.
The migration policy debate is also intertwined with theTaxes discussion, as Skilled workers from abroad are expected to contribute to alleviating the Skills shortage in Germany, especially in fields like technology and engineering. However, Huber's argument suggests a need for fairness in taxation regardless of one's origin.
Bavaria, known for its highly skilled workforce, is the home state of the CSU political party, which has been advocating for policies that prioritize the region's needs, such as addressing the Skills shortage and ensuring a fair taxation system.
The proposed tax relief for foreign skilled workers is still a contentious issue in the German political landscape, with the CSU Secretary-General and other key figures calling for a reevaluation of the policy and advocating for more equitable solutions.
