- SPD leader calls for pace on budget - "performance" unnecessary
SPD Leader Lars Klingbeil Calls for Swift Budget Agreement in Renewed Dispute of Traffic Light Coalition
SPD chairman Lars Klingbeil is demanding a swift agreement in the renewed dispute of the traffic light coalition over the federal budget for the coming year. "This whole spectacle we experienced last week was completely unnecessary, it was superfluous, it further unsettled the country. It is the job of a federal government to submit a budget to parliament," Klingbeil said in an ARD summer interview. He stated that there was dissatisfaction with the government. Klingbeil said: "Clear expectation: Next week, the budget must be completed in the government."
Agreement Announced for Mid-August
The dispute had reignited in recent days. The background is proposals that were supposed to reduce the financing gap in the budget by a total of eight billion euros. Federal Finance Minister Christian Lindner (FDP) had commissioned expert opinions due to legal and economic concerns. These confirmed the concerns in part, but also showed ways to implement at least part of the measures.
By mid-August, Lindner, Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD), and Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck (Greens) want to reach an agreement and bring about a cabinet decision.
Klingbeil: "There is No Right to Laziness"
The SPD chairman also commented on the debate about the citizens' allowance. He said that in discussions, many people find parts of the citizens' allowance unfair. "But let's talk about, for example, 800,000 people who work and still receive the citizens' allowance because they earn so little that they get something on top," Klingbeil said.
"What affects people's sense of justice is when suddenly there are 16,000 who refuse to work with the state. Who exploit the solidarity of the state, lean back, and say, 'I don't have to do anything.' And we must clearly tell them, 'There is no right to laziness.'"
Lindner Feels 'Not Spoken To' by Chancellor's Message
Previously, Scholz had expressed displeasure and made it clear that a legal opinion on the budget draft does indeed allow loans from the railway and the motorway company as financing means. Lindner cannot see any criticism of the federal chancellor in this. "I do not feel addressed by the message of the chancellor," said the FDP chairman to the Funke media group.
Scholz added in a conversation with "Zeit Online": "It remains a mystery how the clear vote of the legal opinion could be temporarily misunderstood so fundamentally wrong." Lindner had doubted whether around eight billion euros for the railway and motorways could be financed with loans.
Federal Finance Minister Also Targets Solar Subsidies
Lindner also called for an end to subsidies for renewable energies. "As far as solar promotion is concerned, there is an urgent need for action. The subsidies have increased significantly," he said to the Funke media group. "But a promotion is no longer necessary in the broad sense because it pays off. This must be ended as soon as possible," he said.
Lindner referred to the coalition agreement to stop subsidies for renewable energies at the latest with the coal phase-out. In his opinion, this could be done much faster. "The new small solar panel on the house roof has already been exempted from value-added tax, which is already sufficient promotion," he said. The coal phase-out is scheduled for 2038. The traffic light coalition had set itself the goal of ideally advancing this date to 2030.
Lindner Warned of a New Debt Crisis in Europe, Calling for Germany to Take on More Debt and Urging the Coalition to Take Further Steps to Reform the Welfare State. "We Need More Empathy for the Truly Socially Disadvantaged and Needy - But on the Other Hand, More Toughness on Freeloaders Who Want Money from This State, Although They Could Work, or Those Who Illegally Stay in Our Country."
Union Calls for More Time for Budget Negotiations
The deputy chairman of the Union faction, Mathias Middelberg, considers the timeline for budget negotiations in the Bundestag questionable. He suggests delaying the September consultations on the 2025 budget if the traffic light politicians do not present an "honest plan" in time, the CDU politician told the German Press Agency.
Lindner's assumption that only a financing gap of five billion euros needs to be closed is "far from reality," Middelberg criticized. In fact, at least 13.4 billion euros of the 17 billion euros previously planned as a "global underspending" still need to be financed. And even that is still very optimistically calculated.
Middelberg Calls for Delay of Budget Week
Although in previous budget years, underspendings of between one and two percent were set, this time they are significantly higher. It has also already shown this year that higher outflows can be expected. With a global underspending, savings targets are set without cuts already being made in the individual budget items.
Moreover, it is assumed in advance that not all planned funds will be spent. The budget for the coming year has a volume of 480.6 billion euros - around eight billion less than this year. "Without a significant reduction in the planned underspending, the first reading of the budget in the Bundestag scheduled for September must be postponed," the Union faction vice-chairman demanded.
Klingbeil Stays Firm on His PositionIn response to the ongoing budget dispute, SPD chairman Lars Klingbeil reiterated his stance, saying, "I'm not going to back down from our demands for a swift agreement and completion of the budget next week."
Union Voices Opposition to Delay of Budget WeekMathias Middelberg, the deputy chairman of the Union faction, voiced his opposition to delaying the September consultations on the 2025 budget, stating, "I'm not going to agree to postponing the first reading of the budget in the Bundestag scheduled for September unless there's a significant reduction in the planned underspending."
