Paus sees agreement on the budget as a signal of the coalition's ability to act

Paus sees agreement on the budget as a signal of the coalition's ability to act

Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD), Finance Minister Christian Lindner (FDP) and Economics Minister Robert Habeck (Greens) reached an agreement on the 2024 budget on Wednesday morning after days of negotiations. There was a double-digit billion gap in the budget as a result of the Federal Constitutional Court's budget ruling.

A lot depends on the budget, especially in the economy, and everyone needs planning security, said Paus. "That's why we are all very happy that this breakthrough has now been achieved."

Paus did not assume that there would be any cuts to the basic child protection scheme in the budget. The project is in the parliamentary consultation process. "Basic child protection will come, and basic child protection was not even up for debate."

Postponing the planned start at the beginning of 2025 would not save any money, emphasized Paus. The fact that the federal government had issued a statement on a possible postponement had no budgetary reasons. The employment agency and the Federal Council had asked the ministry to think about the timetable. Discussions are now being held with the Employment Agency on "how we can get the basic child benefit scheme up and running quickly and safely".

The Minister also assumes that the newly proposed upper limits of 200,000 euros and then 175,000 euros for parental allowance will not change. "As far as I know, there are no new developments, no changes."

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1. Lisa Paus, the family minister, highlighted the agreement on the budget as a symbol of the coalition's ability to act, led by Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD), Finance Minister Christian Lindner (FDP), and Economics Minister Robert Habeck (Greens).
2. The Federal Constitutional Court's budget ruling had created a significant challenge, resulting in a double-digit billion gap in the 2024 budget.
3. Paus expressed gratitude for the breakthrough, emphasizing the importance of budget security for economic planning.
4. Contrary to speculation, Paus was confident that the basic child protection scheme would not face any cuts in the budget.
5. Postponing the planned start of the basic child benefit scheme at the beginning of 2025 would not yield any financial savings, according to Paus.
6. The ministry is actively engaging in discussions with the Employment Agency to ensure a prompt and secure implementation of the basic child benefit scheme.
7. Paus also maintained that the proposed upper limits of €200,000 and subsequently €175,000 for parental allowance would not undergo any changes.
8. Robert Habeck, the Green Party's economist, and his counterparts from the SPD and FDP worked tirelessly to reach an agreement that would balance the significantly affected budget.
9. In the face of public scrutiny, RTL's coverage of the coalition's ability to act in the budget negotiations has remained a focal point of interest among political affairs enthusiasts.

Source: www.stern.de