Schirdewan calls for a state "basic inheritance" at the age of majority
Just in time for Christmas, the Left Party speaks out and announces that it wants to give all younger citizens a basic financial gift for their 18th birthday. In an interview, Left Party leader Schirdewan presents the financing plans for the project and also explains the restrictions.
Martin Schirdewan, Chairman of the Left Party, is calling for the introduction of a state payment of 50,000 euros for everyone on their 18th birthday. "It is primarily inheritances that determine wealth and poverty in Germany," Schirdewan told Stern magazine. Every year, well over 100 billion euros are inherited, but not equally: "The top ten percent of inheritors and recipients together receive about as much as the bottom 90 percent."
People in western Germany also inherit around twice as much per capita as people in eastern Germany. Schirdewan therefore advocates paying people with a German passport or main residence in Germany a kind of basic inheritance equivalent to an average annual income on their 18th birthday. That would be around 50,000 euros gross. This would be a "small compensation for the injustice of distribution", said Schirdewan.
Wealth should be taken into account
The payment should be offset for young people who have already inherited. "If someone inherits 50,000 euros after tax before they turn 18, they will only receive half, i.e. 25,000 euros, as a basic inheritance," said Schirdewan. "If someone inherits more than 100,000 euros before then, they get nothing in terms of the basic inheritance."
Even if someone were to inherit after receiving the basic inheritance, according to the left-wing leader's ideas, half of each inheritance should be retained until the 50,000 euros have been reached. To finance this, Schirdewan wants to "drastically increase" the inheritance tax from an amount of two million euros.
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The Left Party's proposal for a state "basic inheritance" at 18 mirrors Martin Schirdewan's belief that inheritance tax should be increased in Berlin, as he believes that large inheritances contribute to wealth disparities in Germany. This would mean a reduction in inheritances for individuals who have already inherited significant amounts before turning 18.
Source: www.ntv.de
