Budget debate - Lechner attacks red-green: "Death of opportunity for Lower Saxony"
The CDU and AfD in Lower Saxony's state parliament have vented their displeasure at the state government's policies. Opposition leader Sebastian Lechner accused the SPD and Greens of failing to exploit the state's potential. The CDU parliamentary group leader said on Tuesday at the start of the budget deliberations for 2024 that the red-green government was "a death knell for Lower Saxony".
AfD parliamentary group leader Stefan Marzischewski-Drewes criticized migration policy in particular and called for "clear rules for immigrants to adapt to our German dominant culture". For example, children should only be allowed to start school if they speak German well. The AfD politician caused outrage in the plenary chamber with his sweeping and polemical accusations. CDU MP Ulf Thiele responded by calling Marzischewski-Drewes an anti-democrat.
Next year's state budget is set to total 42.3 billion euros - slightly more than this year (plus 0.7 percent). The state government 's core projects include increasing the salaries of teachers at primary, secondary and intermediate schools, setting up a state-owned company for more affordable housing and further expanding access to high-speed internet.
According to Finance Minister Gerald Heere (Greens), unlike the federal government's plans for the climate and transformation fund, which was overturned by the Constitutional Court, the state will not draw on loans that were previously not needed. On the contrary, the state will repay some of these early. This should free up money because there will be no subsequent interest payments. "However, we are not letting these funds slip away, but are legally binding them so that they flow reliably and permanently into future investments," said the minister.
Heere cited investments in hospitals, climate protection and the renovation of state buildings as examples. According to Heere, the state will spend around 1.1 billion euros on the care of refugees in the coming year. At 765 million euros, the majority of this will go to the municipalities. The federal government will contribute around 235 million euros - less than in the previous two years.
Minister President Stephan Weil(SPD) had already stated on Monday that the state had presented a "realistic and reliable set of figures" in comparison to the federal government, where budget discussions for 2024 have stalled following a ruling by the Federal Constitutional Court.
However, CDU parliamentary group leader Lechner criticized that the state government's economic aid was hardly being used, that the state had created too few new places to accommodate refugees and that education policy was at a standstill. "Stop describing problems. You must finally do something," said Lechner in the direction of Education Minister Julia Willie Hamburg (Greens).
The CDU politician also took aim at the state housing association, which the cabinet had decided to establish on January 1 on Monday. The number of apartments to be created by this company was so small that he had to look for them. According to the ministry, the company will be given 100 million euros in start-up capital to build up a portfolio of around 1600 state-owned apartments. The number of social housing units in the state had recently fallen drastically.
The vote on the budget is planned for Thursday.
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- The budget debate in Lower Saxony's state parliament saw criticism from both the CDU and AfD, who voiced displeasure with the state government's policies.
- In his attack on the SPD and Greens, CDU's opposition leader Sebastian Lechner labeled the red-green government as a "death knell for Lower Saxony."
- AfD parliamentary group leader Stefan Marzischewski-Drewes focused on migration policy, suggesting children should only start school if they speak German well.
- Besides the CDU and AfD, the state government in Lower Saxony is planning to invest in educators' salaries, affordable housing, and high-speed internet.
- According to Green's Finance Minister Gerald Heere, the state will not draw on loans not required, and instead, repay some early to save on interest payments.
- Education Minister Julia Willie Hamburg (Greens) and CDU's Lechner had opposing views during the debate, with Lechner criticizing the inadequate use of economic aid and stalled refugee accommodation.
- In a separate issue, Ulf Thiele (CDU) called AfD's Marzischewski-Drewes an anti-democrat, triggering a heated exchange during the budget deliberations in Lower Saxony's state parliament.
Source: www.stern.de
