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Federal Council meeting: states demand more money
Photo: IMAGO/Christian Spicker
Before the federal-state consultations on Wednesday, several prime ministers renewed their demands for further relief from the federal government.
The previous measures were not enough, said Lower Saxony's head of government Stephan Weil (SPD) of the "world".
Important areas affected by the energy crisis have not yet been adequately addressed.
"This applies to the economy, but also to other important areas such as hospitals, municipal utilities or public transport."
Bremen's Prime Minister Andreas Bovenschulte (SPD) warned that the energy price cap must come now.
»In uncertain times, people need security as quickly as possible.
They have to know what to expect and what they can and must prepare for," he told the "world".
The Thuringian Prime Minister Bodo Ramelow (left) also spoke out in the newspaper for an energy price cap.
“Electricity prices must drop significantly and be based on production costs.
Fuel prices have to be synchronized with crude oil prices again.« The red-green-yellow federal government is currently struggling to find measures to curb the rise in gas prices for citizens and companies.
The consultations of the federal and state governments should take place despite the corona infection by Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) - Scholz should be connected via video.
The federal and state governments want to negotiate the third relief package that the traffic light coalition presented at the beginning of September to compensate for rapidly rising prices.
These include one-off payments for pensioners and students and a price cap for basic electricity requirements.
The federal government offers money for a follow-up offer of the 9-euro ticket - if the states help finance it.
Criticism came from the federal states about the distribution of the costs of the relief measures agreed by the traffic light between the federal and state governments.
Individual countries threatened blockades in the Bundesrat.
Hamburg's First Mayor Peter Tschentscher (SPD) told the "Welt" that the effects of the relief measures planned by the federal government on the budgets of the states were significant.
“Many are overwhelmed because there are additional burdens from taking in refugees or a follow-up regulation for the 9-euro ticket.
Financial compensatory measures by the federal government could start at these points.«
SPD leader Saskia Esken called on the federal states to support the relief package.
“I am firmly assuming that the state leaders will act responsibly at the Prime Ministers’ Conference next Wednesday, constructively support the federal government’s measures and quickly implement them effectively within their area of responsibility so that the money gets to the people,” she told the newspapers of the Funke media group.
Detailed questions could be clarified, said Esken.
»But if we want to maintain social cohesion in Germany, then we have to provide fast, targeted and effective support.«
The general manager of the German Association of Towns and Municipalities, Gerd Landsberg, warned of failure.
»The third relief package with a total volume of 65 billion euros is an important building block for us to get through the crisis.
The package must not fail.
The people in Germany are waiting for these important signals," he told Mediengruppe Bayern.
In addition, Landsberg called for better cooperation between the various political levels.
"Germany is experiencing a multitude of crises on a scale we haven't had since the Second World War," he said, referring to war, inflation, refugees, energy supply, staff shortages and disrupted supply chains.
»The federal, state and local levels must work much more closely together.«
