Wegner stands up to Merz in the debt brake dispute
The Union is not in agreement. After the Karlsruhe ruling, one thing is certain: savings must be made. The tone between Berlin's Governing Mayor Kai Wegner and CDU leader Friedrich Merz in particular is becoming increasingly harsh.
Berlin's Governing Mayor Kai Wegner counters the criticism of his party leader Friedrich Merz and adds to the debt brake debate. "I have a clear stance: the reform of the debt brake for future investments is urgently needed," Wegner told Stern magazine and added, alluding to a public rebuke from his party leader: "Incidentally, as governing mayor, I am pleased when Berlin receives so much attention in the Bundestag."
This intensifies the conflict between Merz and Wegner within the CDU/CSU. Merz had emphasized in the Bundestag that the CDU/CSU was against any form of softening the debt brake and indirectly criticized Wegner for his stance. The decisions on the debt brake "are made here in the German Bundestag and not in Berlin City Hall", said Merz.
The day before, Merz had publicly downgraded his party colleague from Berlin to a local politician. "There is a prime minister - or rather mayor - who is of the opinion that the debt brake in the Basic Law should not be allowed to stand. That is not the opinion of the CDU. That is not the opinion of the parliamentary group."
According to reports, the CDU leader is very annoyed by the Berlin mayor's comments, as they cross the party leadership's line. However, other CDU state premiers have also recently expressed criticism of the debt brake.
Wegner calls for reform of the debt brake
In view of the current problems in the federal budget, Wegner has previously called for a reform of the debt brake. "The #debt brake is a good idea in terms of sound finances. However, I think its current design is dangerous," explained the CDU politician on X (formerly Twitter) as well as in an interview with the magazine "Stern". "Because, as I have been saying for some time, it is to be feared that the debt brake will increasingly become a brake on the future."
Wegner emphasized that he does not want to abolish the debt brake, which prohibits the federal and state governments from taking on new liabilities in their budgets, apart from certain exceptions. "I understand the concern about far too much debt," his post reads. "That's why I don't want to remove the debt brake from the constitution, I want to make it future-proof. There can only be loans for investments - loans for consumer spending are taboo."
In response to Merz's stance on the debt brake, Wegner, the CDU mayor of Berlin, advocates for its reform, stating, "I believe the current design of the debt brake is dangerous and could become a barrier to future investments." This viewpoint is causing tension within the CDU, as Merz had previously criticized Wegner for not aligning with the party's position on the debt brake.
Source: www.ntv.de
