Lindner said that during a detailed review of federal spending, “some cherished habits would also have to be put to the test”. “As of now, we will have a deficit of 14 to 18 billion euros in the coming year with revenues of 424 billion euros,” the minister predicted. “This budget gap must be generated through renunciation.” If at the same time “additional spending priorities” should be set, for example in the areas of defense or education, “then you have to make even more cuts elsewhere”.
Lindner reiterated his position that there should be neither tax increases nor “any tricks to incur more debt” to improve state finances. He also rejected a uniform reduction in all expenses to which there is no legal entitlement: “I am against the lawn mower method.”
The coalition has been arguing about next year’s budget for weeks. Lindner had canceled the usual adoption of budget key points in mid-March; it is now assumed that it will fail altogether. Instead, a detailed budget is to be adopted in June.
While Lindner sees a need for savings, several departments have demanded high additional expenditure, in addition to the Ministry of Family Affairs for basic child security, as well as the Ministry of Defense for training the Bundeswehr. Family Minister Paus told the “Bild am Sonntag” that she was fighting for “that the basic child security can be paid out as planned in 2025”.
The minister emphasized that she not only wants to launch a digital portal that parents can use to apply without going to the office. “We will also ensure that it is worthwhile for the parents to work and that the family always has more net than through state benefits.”
FDP parliamentary group leader Christian Dürr defended Lindner’s position on basic child security. The problem isn’t the amount of money, but “that the money doesn’t reach the children,” he told the “Bild am Sonntag” and added: “You can’t promise more billions without saying how the funds will be be retrieved.”
The left-wing faction’s financial policy spokesman, Christian Görke, explained in Berlin that there are definitely ways to expand the financial leeway: “You could raise taxes for the super-rich – as the economists are temporarily demanding. You could reform the debt brake – as a number of economists are saying demand. Or you could do without questionable projects like the additional mega-armament in the budget.”
The Left budget expert Gesine Lötzsch also called for a moratorium on construction projects by the federal government. A large part of the officials work in the home office, she told the news portal “t-online.de”. “This development must lead to a reduction in office space.”
The Union budget politician Christian Haase (CDU) told the portal that “all expenditure items in the federal budget, including construction projects, of course, must be questioned”. “Where it is justifiable, stopping construction should not be taboo.” According to “t-online.de”, the government is currently planning major construction projects for at least 2.1 billion euros.
