State election in Thuringia - SPD leader: Christmas bonus for pensioners and free school meals
SPD-Leading candidate and Interior Minister Georg Maier aims to win voters' favor with social promises at the upcoming state election and secure the Social Democrats a double-digit result. The SPD advocates for a Christmas bonus of 500 Euro for minimum pensioners, free lunches for children in kindergartens and schools, and a minimum wage for caregivers, Maier stated during the SPD campaign presentation in Erfurt.
The SPD, currently governing Thuringia in coalition with the Left and Greens, aims to care for the people "keeping the land running."
27 Million Euro for Christmas bonus
Maier, who is running for the SPD as the leading candidate for the first time, promised a campaign that would not rely on populism but address problems and offer solutions. He highlighted Thuringia's status as the German state with the lowest average pensions.
A Christmas bonus is not yet a solution, but a first step. According to his estimates, the state would spend approximately 27 million Euro on it annually. This is roughly half the amount saved by the CDU, AfD, and FDP through their reduction of the land transfer tax from 6.5% to 5.0%.
A new Thuringian Landtag will be elected on September 1st. In the latest surveys, the SPD is polling at seven percent. In the 2019 state election, the SPD received 8.2 percent of the votes.
Georg Maier, the SPD's leading candidate, emphasized the importance of school meals in his campaign, proposing free lunches for children in Erfurt. Maier, during his time as Interior Minister and candidate for the SPD in Thuringia's state election, also advocated for a Christmas bonus of 500 Euro for minimum pensioners. The SPD, currently in coalition with the Left and Greens in Thuringia, is committed to improving the welfare of the state's children, as highlighted during Maier's presentation. Despite facing challenges in the polls, with the SPD currently polling at seven percent, Maier remains hopeful for a double-digit result in the upcoming state election, which will take place on September 1st. The SPD's proposals for a Christmas bonus and school meals are part of their broader commitment to Thuringia's children and citizens.
