Finance Minister Olaf Scholz is still hoping for the Chancellery.
Another topic, however, is the focus of his US trip.
Large digital corporations should pay more taxes in the future.
Washington - Olaf Scholz would like to go to the White House - as Chancellor of the new federal government.
Less than three months before the election, the Treasury Secretary traveled to Washington to pursue one of the largest projects of his term in office.
A global minimum tax should lead to digital giants like Amazon paying more taxes.
For the SPD candidate for chancellor, this is a topic where he wants to prove his image as a “doer” and “leader”.
Despite weak polls for the SPD: Scholz is still firmly convinced that he can become chancellor.
A global tax reform, for which Scholz sees himself as a champion and now wants to reap the "harvest" after years of work, should also help in the election campaign.
130 countries agreed on Thursday in the framework of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) that they wanted to guarantee minimum taxation for companies.
In Washington, Scholz spoke of "colossal progress".
The tax race to the bottom is over.
So far, large companies have found ways of paying almost no taxes at all.
"The big digital platform companies have been particularly eager to avoid paying taxes." Many would have talked themselves out of sticking to the rules.
“They will do that in the future - only they will then pay taxes, also in Germany.
Overall, we will benefit from this understanding that is achieved there. "
Scholz did not want to say exactly how much money this would bring into the state treasury.
The federal government can use the funds well, because the budget situation is tense after the immense debt in the Corona crisis.
The agreement at OECD level is another important milestone in the global reform that is to be implemented by the individual states in the coming years. At the beginning of June, the finance ministers of the G7 countries agreed on the reform. At the end of next week, the finance ministers of the G20, including China, then want to nail their heads. In addition to a minimum tax of 15 percent, it should also be ensured that large corporations will in future pay taxes where they make their sales. This is aimed at large digital corporations, for example.
One of Scholz's most important allies is US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, whom he wanted to meet on Friday. At the beginning of April, Yellen spoke out in favor of a global minimum tax, thus giving new tailwind to efforts with the power of the world's largest economy. The former US administration of then President Donald Trump had rejected efforts to establish a global minimum tax rate. She feared that this would put international US corporations in a worse position.
Yellen now spoke of a “historic day” for economic diplomacy with a view to the OECD. So far, countries have undercut each other in dealing with the corporations. “No country won this race,” said Yellen. "Lower tax rates have not only failed to attract new business, they have also deprived countries of funding for critical investments in infrastructure, education and fighting the pandemic."
Scholz will stay in Washington until Friday - but a planned meeting with US Vice President Kamala Harris in the White House did not work out. Scholz will be able to get over it in view of the progress made with the tax reform. For the finance minister, it is a matter of justice and a means against populist tendencies in many countries. And it fits his claim of political leadership. It is true that the SPD only ranks third in polls for the Bundestag election. In the Scholz camp, however, you are sure that you can turn it around until the election and that the SPD can lead a government without the Union. Reference is always made to Scholz's personally good survey results. A lot could still happen before the election.
Scholz also wants to focus on climate protection in the election campaign, or more precisely: the future of Germany as an industrial location. Here, too, he strives for the image of the “doer” who wants to accelerate the necessary but slow expansion of renewable energies - against resistance. "It's now about doing, about getting there, about leadership," said Scholz recently at the Industry Day.
Scholz will also accompany the topic of energy in his talks in the USA, albeit more behind the scenes. It's about the controversial Nord Stream 2 pipeline project from Russia to Germany. For a long time this was the biggest controversy between the USA and Germany. The USA fear that Germany will become dependent on Russia. But now the signs point to relaxation and a solution should be found by August. In mid-July, Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) meets US President Joe Biden - where Scholz will soon be: in the White House. dpa