Scholz continues to seek breakthrough in budget dispute with traffic light leaders
As a result of the Federal Constitutional Court's budget ruling, a double-digit billion amount is missing from the budget for 2024. Scholz, Finance Minister Christian Lindner (FDP) and Economics Minister Robert Habeck (Greens) have been trying to find a solution to the problem for days.
The extent to which the participation of the parliamentary group leaders has brought movement to the negotiations or can be seen as a sign of a rapprochement remains to be seen. The co-chair of the Green parliamentary group in the Bundestag, Britta Haßelmann, said afterwards that she was "very confident that we will reach a solution very soon". It was clear to everyone involved that citizens and businesses needed "clarity and predictability".
FDP parliamentary group leader Christian Dürr was convinced that it would be possible to close the financial gap without suspending the debt brake again. This was "manageable", but also "hard work", he said. After all, thousands of budget items would have to be combed through to find possible cuts. However, he did not see the emergency situation required by the Basic Law for the renewed suspension of the debt brake as "currently given".
SPD parliamentary group leader Rolf Mützenich disagreed and referred to the consequences of the war in Ukraine. "These are not normal times," he said. "That's why I believe that we can also make use of the exemption rule."
With a view to an agreement, Mützenich nevertheless saw reason for hope, but also did not want to commit to a date. He was "not a futurologist", he said. According to Mützenich, the fact that the Chancellor is traveling to Brussels after his government statement on the EU summit on Wednesday afternoon is not an obstacle to further budget talks. "The Chancellor never takes a break, no matter where he is."
According to the Bild newspaper, there was still a financial gap of more than ten billion euros after the meeting between Scholz, Lindner and Habeck on Monday evening. It is assumed that there will be a shortfall of 30 billion euros in total.
Lindner had put the 2024 budget gap at 17 billion euros. According to SPD General Secretary Kevin Kühnert, however, a further 13 billion euros will be added if the financial gap in the Climate and Transformation Fund (KTF) is also to be closed. This fund is used to finance key energy transition projects.
The CDU/CSU has already threatened the coalition government with a constitutional complaint if it suspends the debt brake in 2024 after all. "If the federal government risks creating another emergency situation of this kind with the federal budget 24, then we are immediately ready and able to appeal to the Constitutional Court," said CDU/CSU parliamentary group leader Friedrich Merz (CDU). CSU regional group leader Alexander Dobrindt warned the "traffic light" against "financial tricks" and also threatened to take the matter to Karlsruhe.
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- Scholz's efforts to find a solution to the budget dispute with the traffic light coalition leaders have been ongoing for several days, involving Finance Minister Christian Lindner (FDP) and Economics Minister Robert Habeck (Greens).
- Britta Haßelmann, the co-chair of the Green parliamentary group in the Bundestag, expressed confidence that a solution to the budget issue would be reached soon.
- Christian Dürr, the FDP parliamentary group leader, believes that the budget gap can be closed without suspending the debt brake again, although it will require significant effort.
- SPD parliamentary group leader Rolf Mützenich, however, believes that the circumstances caused by the war in Ukraine may warrant the use of the exemption rule to suspend the debt brake.
- Mützenich expressed hope for an agreement but did not commit to a specific date, adding that the Chancellor's travel to Brussels would not interfere with further budget negotiations.
- Bild newspaper reported that after a meeting between Scholz, Lindner, and Habeck, a financial gap of more than ten billion euros still remained.
- Lindner initially estimated the 2024 budget gap to be 17 billion euros, but SPD General Secretary Kevin Kühnert argued that an additional 13 billion euros would be needed to close the financial gap in the Climate and Transformation Fund (KTF).
- The CDU/CSU has threatened to file a constitutional complaint if the coalition government decides to suspend the debt brake in 2024, warning against "financial tricks" and promising to take the matter to Karlsruhe.
- Scholz, along with other traffic light coalition leaders, has been seeking "traffic light tips" and analyzing search results related to budget savings and reform to find potential solutions to the budget crisis.
- Olaf Scholz has met with representatives of various political parties to discuss budget-related matters, including FDP vice-chair Christian Lindner and SPD's Robert Habeck, as well as opposition leaders, such as SPD's Rolf Mützenich and CDU/CSU's Friedrich Merz.
Source: www.stern.de
