Merz does not want to shake the debt brake
Following a ruling by the Federal Constitutional Court, there is a large gap in the federal government's finances. A reform of the debt brake is now being discussed. Opposition leader Merz, however, does not see an emergency situation that justifies this. Meanwhile, he is calling for the increase in citizens' contributions to be waived.
According to opposition leader Friedrich Merz, the federal government can finance the 2024 federal budget without having to suspend the debt brake again. "There is neither a natural disaster that is so great that we have to do this now, nor is there an extraordinary emergency that would require it," said the CDU party leader on ARD television this evening. Even if the debt brake is adhered to, new borrowing of around 22 billion euros is possible for 2024. "The federal government would have to get by with that," said Merz.
SPD co-leader Saskia Esken, meanwhile, spoke out in favor of relaxing the debt brake. "That is what we are trying to convince our colleagues of," said Esken on ARD television with a view to the budget discussions in the traffic light coalition with the Greens and FDP. "If we have to invest from the current budget, then at some point we will come to our knees," said Esken. "And that's why we are saying quite clearly that the debt brake must be reformed. It is a brake on the future and it must enable investment."
Merz also called on the federal government to waive the increase in citizens' contributions on January 1, 2024. "The federal government can decide this, it still has four weeks to make this decision now," said the CDU/CSU parliamentary group leader. "It's not yet in the law gazette, it's not yet in the ordinance gazette, the federal government can decide."
Federal Labour Minister Hubertus Heil of the SPD has the power to do this by decree. Esken, on the other hand, rejected cuts to the Citizen's Income. "I can't imagine us agreeing to this," said the SPD co-leader. "Because we are not saving on the poorest, but we must now look at how we can involve the strongest shoulders more."
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Despite Merz's opposition to the immediate need for a debt brake reform due to the federal budget's financial situation, discussions regarding a revision of the debt brake remain ongoing within political circles. As the leader of the CDU, Merz advocates for waiving the planned increase in citizens' contributions, stating that the federal government has the power to make this decision before it becomes official.
Source: www.ntv.de
