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State parliament declares emergency - AfD sees breach of constitution

The Brandenburg government wants to support families, local authorities and companies with a total of two billion euros on credit due to rising costs. To do this, the state parliament had to declare once again that the state is in an emergency situation. The AfD does not want this and is...

Finance Minister Katrin Lange (r) speaks during the special session of the state parliament. Photo.aussiedlerbote.de
Finance Minister Katrin Lange (r) speaks during the special session of the state parliament. Photo.aussiedlerbote.de

Aid package - State parliament declares emergency - AfD sees breach of constitution

The state parliament has also declared an extraordinary emergency situation for the state of Brandenburg for 2024. The declaration of emergency pushed through by the coalition majority is intended to enable the state to take out new loans for a Brandenburg package from the state government in the coming year despite the applicable debt brake. In this way, the coalition wants to financially cushion the consequences of the Russian war of aggression and high inflation for families, local authorities and companies.

The AfD parliamentary group and non-attached members of the Free Voters voted against the proposal of the red-black-green coalition in a special session of the state parliament on Wednesday. There were six abstentions from the Left Party parliamentary group.

The state parliament had already declared the emergency situation for the Brandenburg package for this and next year in order to be able to take on up to two billion euros in new debt. Following the budget ruling by the Federal Constitutional Court, which only required budgets to be drawn up for one year at a time, the aid package should now be secured with a new declaration of emergency for 2024. The credit authorization for the coming year should then still amount to 1.06 billion euros.

"We want to continue what has proven its worth in 2023," explained SPD finance expert Jörg Vogelsänger. "The emergency situation is here to stay." Finance Minister Katrin Lange (SPD) emphasized that the ruling of the Federal Constitutional Court made adjustments necessary. This also includes the declaration of emergency for the coming year.

Left-wing MP Ronny Kretschmer called for a more far-reaching step. "The debt brake is a brake on the future," he explained. It prevents necessary investments. It should therefore be abolished or comprehensively reformed.

The AfD had tried unsuccessfully to prevent the vote on the emergency declaration this year with an urgent application to the state constitutional court. The AfD parliamentary group has also filed a lawsuit against the Brandenburg package. Faction leader Hans-Christoph Berndt expects a decision from the state constitutional court early next year. However, Berndt announced that his parliamentary group would also consider whether to file a lawsuit against the new declaration of emergency.

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Source: www.stern.de

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