The Green politician and Bundestag Vice President Katrin Göring-Eckardt is calling for corrections to the debt brake this year. “We should break up the rigid debt rules – in the interest of necessary investments in the municipalities, but also in the economy,” said the Bundestag member from Thuringia to the German Press Agency in Erfurt.
Göring-Eckardt gave further reasons that Germany would be more required to support Ukraine. In addition, the financial conditions for the payment of climate money to citizens would have to be met in a timely manner.
According to the finance minister, the required disbursement mechanism will not be ready until 2025. “It is agreed that the climate money will come then.” Climate money requires reliable start-up funding from the federal budget. According to Göring-Eckardt, this also includes reducing environmentally harmful subsidies.
FDP strictly rejects corrections to the debt brake
“The uncertainty about the availability of federal funds is currently causing problems everywhere in Germany.” This applies not only to projects in the economy, but also in municipalities. “The quality of life of citizens depends on the municipalities being well organized and being able to do more than their duty,” said Göring-Eckardt.
She expects that the SPD, FDP and Green Alliance can agree on changed regulations for the debt brake or its temporary suspension. “I think the federal states will also put more pressure on it as the year progresses.” It’s about the country’s future viability.
So far, the FDP in particular, with its Finance Minister Christian Lindner, has strictly rejected any corrections to the debt brake. According to initial plans, there is a billion-dollar gap in the 2025 federal budget – which the Finance Ministry plans to close through savings.
