Finances - Reactions to the agreement in the budget dispute
Following the agreement in the budget crisis of the traffic light government, politicians and various associations have expressed their views. An overview.
"We don't like making them, of course, but they are necessary so that we can get by with the money we have available."
(Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz, SPD, on cuts and savings to implement the Federal Constitutional Court's budget ruling).
"It will expire anyway, but we will do it sooner."
(Vice-Chancellor and Economics Minister Robert Habeck, Greens, announces that the subsidy for the purchase of electric cars will expire earlier than planned).
"You are jeopardizing the last remnants of your reputation, your authority at home and abroad."
(CDU party leader Friedrich Merz on Chancellor Scholz after the budget agreement).
"You are not the solution to the budget problem, you are the budget chaos per se."
(CSU state group leader Alexander Dobrindt on the traffic light government).
"Many ministries are making their own contributions, for example the Ministry of Transport, the Ministry of the Environment and the Ministry of Labor. But the important thing is that there will be no reduction in social standards."
(Finance Minister Christian Lindner, FDP, on the savings for the 2024 budget)
"If both the agricultural diesel subsidy and the motor vehicle tax exemption are abolished, this is the case. I think that's problematic."
(Agriculture Minister Cem Özdemir, Greens, warns against placing a disproportionate burden on agriculture)
"Mr. Chancellor, if you don't do this, next year will start just as chaotically as 2023 will end."
(CDU party leader Friedrich Merz calls on Chancellor Scholz to call a vote of confidence in the Bundestag after the budget agreement)
"This budget is not intended to make Germany stronger, it is only intended to keep the traffic light in power, that was your motivation in reaching your agreement."
(CSU state group leader Alexander Dobrindt on the budget agreement of the traffic light government).
"The good news: a decision has been made and all political leaders have compromised. Any non-decision would have been even worse for Germany as a business location and its jobs. However, sustainable structural reforms have once again been postponed."
(Employers' President Rainer Dulger on the budget agreement.)
"We are forging ahead with the climate-neutral transformation of our country. We are strengthening social cohesion. And we are standing closely by Ukraine in its defense campaign against Russia."
(Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz, SPD, on the central goals of the traffic light government).
"We won't let you get away with this trick."
(CDU party leader Friedrich Merz on the possibility of the traffic light government announcing another emergency situation in view of the situation in Ukraine and thus suspending the debt brake).
"The federal government has not said enough concrete things about savings today. But saving 1.5 billion euros in social spending is not the right signal."
(The President of the VdK social association, Verena Bentele, on the announced cuts in the social sector).
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- Despite Friedrich Merz's criticism, Chancellor Olaf Scholz from the SPD maintained his stance after the budget agreement.
- The CSU's state group leader, Alexander Dobrindt, accused the traffic light government of causing budget chaos.
- Robert Habeck, the Greens' Vice-Chancellor and Economics Minister, announced an earlier expiration of the electric car subsidy.
- In Berlin, the Federal Government and various associations discussed the implications of the budget agreement.
- Christian Lindner, the FDP's Finance Minister, ensured that there would be no reduction in social standards in the savings plan for the 2024 budget.
- Cem Özdemir, the Greens' Agriculture Minister, warned against placing a disproportionate burden on agriculture due to budget cuts.
- Alongside the Ministry of Transport and the Ministry of Environment, the Ministry of Labor also contributed to the savings plan.
- The Federal Constitutional Court's budget ruling necessitated cuts and savings, according to Olaf Scholz, who acknowledged their necessity.
- In the midst of the budget dispute, SPD, CDU, FDP, and the Greens all had contrasting views on the financial situation of Germany, with each party defending their stance.
Source: www.stern.de
