Lindner advocates for budget cuts during negotiation discussions.
The discussions for the 2025 federal budget are causing some turmoil in the traffic light system. Federal Finance Minister Christian Lindner is reminding the ministries to consider the scale of their demands. Particularly, he's questioning the demands of the Development Ministry and the Federal Foreign Office.
In the budget debate, Lindner urges the Federal Foreign Office and the Development Ministry to assess the efficacy and relevance of their expenditure policies. They need to ponder, "Are we truly enhancing life chances with our tax dollars, or are the initiatives serving German interests?" asked Lindner in remarks to the Mediengruppe Bayern newspapers.
"In global politics, tough security measures and support for Ukraine need to be prioritized. This is in relation to peace and liberty for Germany," explained Finance Minister Lindner. Consequently, we must talk about targeting and reach when considering funds for other regions of the world. "Since the CSU Development Minister Gerd Müller, there have been projects like the well-known bike paths in Peru that need to be scrutinized." It's important to mention that development aid for Peru, which isn't limited to bike trails, is primarily funded by loans, so the funds are eventually repaid.
The traffic light alliance is confronting challenging negotiations for the 2025 federal budget. Lindner has requested that the ministries curb expenses, yet several sectors are seeking increased investments, including Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and Development Minister Svenja Schulze. On Tuesday, Lindner abruptly halted the cabinet's deliberation of the previously agreed-upon second pension scheme. According to media reports, Labor Minister Hubertus Heil has made particularly high demands in negotiations regarding the 2025 budget.
"An ordinary approach was unfeasible for me," remarked Lindner. "The applications for the 2025 federal budget did not reflect that everyone had comprehended the economic realities." Hence, Lindner consulted the Federal Chancellor and Economic Minister to ensure they were still in agreement. In response to a query, FDP leader Lindner confirmed that he had "never" threatened to split the coalition. "However, it's apparent that a deal on a budget and economic overhaul is required for ventures like the pension plan to eventually gain a majority in the Bundestag."
The "siphoning" dilemma
Lindner would not divulge the exact sum of the requests. "I cannot provide an official figure because I don't deem the numerous demands a valid bargaining position. I can only say that the circulating media speculation so far vastly underestimates the sum." In recent weeks, the gap in the budget proposals for 2025 stood at a double-digit billion euro range, with figures ranging between 15 and 30 billion euros.
Lindner rejected Defense Minister Boris Pistorius' call to exempt defense spending and sections of crisis preparedness from the debt brake. Pistorius' ongoing insistence on this matter, according to Lindner, "once again shakes up the coalition's basic agreement." He also disagreed on the substance, stating, "We cannot fund national and alliance defense with credit. The debt level and the interest burden will increase."
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In the context of the budget negotiations, Lindner encourages the Ministry of Development Aid and the Federal Foreign Office to reevaluate their spending policies, questioning whether they are effectively improving lives or serving German interests. Additionally, in light of international security concerns and support for Ukraine, Lindner emphasizes the importance of prioritizing funds and scrutinizing existing projects, including those initiated by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development under previous minister Gerd Müller.
Source: www.ntv.de
