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Chancellor Olaf Scholz: Ampel can also incur more debt in 2022
Photo: TOBIAS SCHWARZ/ AFP
The federal government adhered to the debt brake enshrined in the Basic Law until 2020 – then it was suspended due to Corona.
It will stay that way for at least another year.
Due to the ongoing pandemic and the war in Ukraine, the Bundestag has again made it possible for the federal government to take out additional loans.
398 deputies voted in favor of this in a roll-call vote, there were 251 votes against and 35 abstentions.
The traffic light coalition argued that in 2022 the corona crisis would have far-reaching effects from the Russian attack on Ukraine.
Therefore, there is still an “extraordinary emergency situation”.
New debts of EUR 138.9 billion are planned for the current year.
That is around 115.7 billion more than the Basic Law actually allows.
Among other things, the money will be used to finance relief packages that are intended to offset the burdens on citizens due to rising inflation and high energy prices.
Finance Minister Lindner insists on a return to the debt brake
In the budget debate on Tuesday, Federal Finance Minister Christian Lindner had insisted on a return to the debt brake next year - and sees a connection to combating high inflation.
"Returning to the debt brake means taking pressure off prices by not redistributing more and more and inventing more and more subsidies," said the FDP politician.
The planned special fund for the Bundeswehr, for which fresh loans of 100 billion euros are to be taken out, does not fall under the provisions of the debt brake anchored in the Basic Law.
This special pot runs "parallel to the debt brake," said Lindner.
»The debt brake itself is retained for all other projects and tasks.«
hey/dpa
