Parties - SPD state leader calls for redistribution and the rent cap
Berlin's SPD parliamentary group and state leader Raed Saleh is calling on his party to sharpen its social profile. Immediately before the federal party conference, which begins on Friday, he spoke out in favour of more redistribution, a rent cap, against the modernization levy and for a new SPD manifesto, among other things. "My wish for the party conference is that we put the social issue back at the forefront. That is what needs to be resolved," Saleh told the German Press Agency on Thursday.
"Society is not divided according to whether someone is a migrant or an eighth-generation German. The central social question is how we can ensure that the costs of crises and changes are distributed more fairly again," said the SPD politician, who intends to campaign for these issues at the three-day party conference in Berlin. The Berlin regional association has submitted a number of corresponding amendments to the main motion.
Saleh: People can't take any more
"I am currently noticing that there are many in my party who would also like more direction from the Chancellor," said Saleh. This is particularly true when it comes to issues that have always been important to social democracy, such as the issue of fair burden sharing. "In many places, people can no longer cope. They are tired of the crisis. They are worried about their existence," said the SPD state leader. "This is leading to insecurity across broad sections of society, and the enemies of our democracy are trying to exploit this insecurity."
It can currently be seen throughout Germany that the burdens of the climate crisis are not being distributed fairly. "Many companies are making record profits because they are not simply passing on the rising costs. These are often pure windfall profits," criticized Saleh. This also leads to rising prices overall. "Something is going very wrong in our country. In a social market economy, the state must intervene to regulate and redistribute."
The SPD state leader promotes the rent cap
This also includes the question of an opening clause for rents. "The judges in Karlsruhe have told us that the federal states are not allowed to introduce a rent cap. But the federal government can create a possibility," said the SPD politician. "We know that many people, whether in Berlin, Stuttgart or Kassel, can afford less and less because their rents are so high. The federal states must be allowed to work with a rent cap."
Saleh also spoke out in favour of abolishing the modernization levy, which allows apartment owners to pass on the costs of energy-efficient renovations to tenants. "I believe that it sends out the wrong signal if the building ultimately increases in value and at the same time the costs are borne by the tenants alone without limit. Is that supposed to be fair?"
Saleh renewed his call for an update of the SPD's basic program, which dates back to 2007. "I believe that we have to realize that the world has moved on since the last manifesto." This applies to topics such as digitalization, the world of work, the climate crisis, migration and integration or the compatibility of family and career. "It is important that a process like this is initiated. I hope that it will be widely discussed within the party. Berlin will also be involved."
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- The SPD's focus on social issues, as advocated by Raed Saleh, extends beyond Berlin's House of Representatives, reaching various regions in Germany.
- Saleh's call for fair burden sharing includes addressing the issue of rents, which many people, whether in Berlin, Stuttgart, or Kassel, find increasingly unaffordable.
- The German Press Agency reported that Saleh critique the lack of fair distribution of climate crisis burdens, as some companies are reaping record profits without passing on the rising costs.
- The SPD state leader proposed that the federal government should enable rental cap policies for the states, as high rents are pushing more people to their financial limits.
- Apart from advocating for a rent cap, Saleh also emphasized the need to revise the SPD's basic program, which has been outdated since 2007, focusing on topics like digitalization, climate crisis, migration, and family-career balance.
Source: www.stern.de
