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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The Federal Constitutional Court's budget ruling necessitated an adjustment to the aid package, leading to the proposal for a new declaration of emergency in 2024 by the state parliament. The AfD, along with non-aligned Free Voters and six abstentions from the Left Party, opposed this proposal in a special session. Jörg Vogelsänger, the SPD finance expert, justified the necessity of the emergency situation's continuation, while Finance Minister Katrin Lange highlighted the court's influence on the adjustments.
The Left Party's Ronny Kretschmer advocated for a more comprehensive reform or abolition of the debt brake, arguing that it hinders necessary investments. The AfD initially attempted to prevent the vote on the emergency declaration this year by filing an urgent application to the state constitutional court but were unsuccessful. Despite this, the AfD parliamentary group has also filed a lawsuit against the Brandenburg package and may consider legal action against the new declaration of emergency.
High inflation and the consequences of the Russian war of aggression have placed a significant burden on families, local authorities, and companies in Brandenburg. Recognizing this, the red-black-green coalition intends to leverage the emergency situation declaration to secure new loans for a Brandenburg package from the state government, with an estimated credit authorization of 1.06 billion euros for the coming year.
The initial declaration of an emergency situation for the Brandenburg package, enacted for this and the following year, aimed to enable the state to incur up to two billion euros in new debt. The German constitution raises concerns for the AfD, leading to their opposition to the red-black-green coalition's proposal, fearing a breach of the constitution. This breach is related to the federal budget rule, which only requires annual budget preparation, according to the Federal Constitutional Court's ruling.
The Brandenburg package is intended to financially cushion households, local authorities, and companies affected by the Russian war and high inflation, easily linking the sentences that mention these aspects. The sentence about the Federal Constitutional Court ruling also helps bring the discussion around the court and its influences into the conversation.
Source: www.stern.de
