Municipalities are pushing for a “move away from the fully comprehensive state”

Created: 04/28/2022, 06:39

Stephen Jaeger.

© Marijan Murat/dpa/archive image

“Loss of prosperity”: Prime Minister Kretschmann warns of the material consequences of the Ukraine war in drastic terms.

The municipalities go even further: the citizens would have to tighten their belts and say goodbye to some standards they have grown fond of.

Stuttgart - The municipalities have prepared the people in Baden-Württemberg for the impositions and cuts resulting from the Ukraine war.

It needs a "wake-up call from politics to the population," said Steffen Jäger, President of the Municipal Day, of the German Press Agency in Stuttgart.

"The basic needs of freedom, peace and security are at risk in Europe and therefore also in Germany." In the future, a lot of money will be needed for the military and a secure energy supply.

The state and society would therefore have to reassess what would otherwise have priority and what could still be financed.

“There can no longer be a constant “more, better and more comprehensive”,” emphasized Jäger.

It is the "bitter truth that many of the standards achieved need to be put to the test".

More “healthy personal responsibility”

The municipalities shared Prime Minister Winfried Kretschmann's (Greens') expectation that the crisis "will have a noticeable impact on the material prosperity of all of us".

The state can no longer afford to provide comprehensive financial cushioning for the consequences of the crisis for consumers.

The head of the municipal association warned: "It is urgently necessary to set priorities, to relieve unnecessary bureaucratic hurdles, to reduce the liability regulations to a healthy level of personal responsibility and to move away from the "fully comprehensive state".

"Don't reflexively emphasize what doesn't work"

In view of the new world situation, Jäger expects citizens to be more understanding of the limited state resources.

"As part of our society, every individual has a responsibility to contribute to the success of our free and sustainable democracy.

This will also include enduring impositions and cuts.

It is therefore not the time to reflexively emphasize what is not possible.” Because the state's efficiency is “at the limit.

Even in times of peace, the sum of the current challenges would mean that the efficiency of the state levels would hardly be sufficient to meet the ever more extensive demands".

Requirement: Adapt claims to reality

New solutions have to be found in many places.

He cited the areas of early childhood education and care as examples.

Thousands of places were missing in day-care centers.

The reason for this is that there is a lack of skilled workers.

Now refugee children from the Ukraine would be added.

“Of course it would be desirable if we could quickly and easily increase the number of skilled workers.

But that's not realistic.

And that's why answers are needed that are also suitable in terms of numbers to meet the upcoming challenge."

"The implementation of this legal right must be adapted to reality," demanded Jäger.

Kretschmann also pondered about "adjusting screws"

The head of government had recently warned that people had to be prepared for "loss of prosperity".

However, he does not believe that this goes straight to “well-being”.

The Greens politician is also of the opinion that the state cannot compensate for higher energy prices and general inflation in the long term.

"Watering can benefits" should no longer exist, he said with a view to the federal government's latest relief package.

During a panel discussion, he thought aloud about how the country could prepare for the crisis.

"Maybe we have to work more," Kretschmann pointed out.

In order to counter the shortage of teachers, for example, part-time teachers should be increased.

This was followed by a wave of outrage from unions and the opposition.

Bayaz railed against cutting taxes on petrol and diesel

Finance Minister Danyal Bayaz (Greens) also encouraged people not to rely too heavily on the state in the crisis.

It is good that the traffic lights in the federal government have put together another relief package.

“However, the state will not be able to absorb rising prices in the long term.

You need clear priorities!” the minister wrote on Twitter.

"I can't understand why the tax on petrol and diesel will be reduced, but not the VAT on food."

dpa