Enlarge image
Minister of Finance for 5-euro instead of 9-euro ticket?
Unfortunately no: Lindner criticizes a "free mentality à la unconditional basic income"
Photo:
Michelle Tantussi / REUTERS
Federal Finance Minister Christian Lindner (FDP) is against an extension of the 9-euro ticket or similar benefits in local transport.
"There are no funds available in the financial planning for a continuation of the 9-euro ticket," he told the Augsburger Allgemeine.
He also criticized the "free mentality à la unconditional basic income."
Every euro would have to be mobilized elsewhere through cuts, said the FDP politician.
He doesn't think it's fair if everyone finances local public transport in this way, even if they don't use it.
"Any tax subsidy for an under-cost ticket means redistribution," he said.
“People in rural areas who don’t have a train station nearby and who rely on their cars would subsidize cheap local transport.”
more on the subject
Debate on fuel prices and commuter allowances: "A lot of money goes to people who don't need it" An interview by Felix Wadewitz
A good three weeks before the offer expires, the federal and state governments are wrestling about a possible follow-up offer - and about who should finance it.
The chairwoman of the conference of transport ministers, Maike Schäfer (Greens), had told the editorial network Germany that the federal states were ready to co-finance a follow-up offer to the 9-euro ticket.
Important information from Federal Transport Minister Volker Wissing (FDP) is still missing.
Wissing was recently open to a successor plan.
According to his ministry, however, the willingness of the federal states to participate financially is a decisive factor.
Company car or public transport?
Bavaria's Transport Minister Christian Bernreiter (CSU), on the other hand, saw the federal government as "exclusively" responsible for bearing the costs of further relief for citizens.
The opposition sharply criticized this.
Ruth Müller, vice-chairman of the state SPD, asked on Twitter: "Why doesn't the CSU want to get involved?
So that everyone in Bavaria can continue to drive?”
A concept paper by the Greens recently proposed an extension of the ticket in a modified form: a regional ticket for 29 euros and a nationwide ticket for 49 euros per month.
This can be financed by curtailing the company car privilege, with which companies can deduct the costs of company cars from taxes.
Above all, CO₂ emissions should be taken more into account.
Finance Minister Lindner described this move as "left-wing polemics."
The Greens' idea would force people with company cars to keep a logbook.
For the state, according to Lindner, there would be no additional income.
The SPD parliamentary group calls for the states to share in the costs.
It must be clear that the federal government alone cannot take over the financing, said the deputy chairman of the parliamentary group, Detlef Müller.
The expansion of public transport should not be put aside either.
Existing discounted social tickets would also have to be retained.
In order to finance the continuation, one could reduce climate-damaging subsidies in road traffic.
Significantly more people use public transport
The limited 9-euro ticket was introduced by the traffic light coalition of SPD, Greens and FDP to relieve people in Germany in view of rising prices.
It is valid from June to August in local and regional buses and trains and costs 9 euros per month.
Even before the special ticket was launched, there was a dispute about the financing.
Resistance came from Bavaria, among others, for a long time.
The federal government is financing the campaign with 2.5 billion euros to compensate for loss of income at transport companies - in addition to the regular 9.4 billion euros in "regionalization funds" this year, with which states and associations order transport services from providers.
In addition, there is another billion from another pot.
The federal states are generally demanding more federal money for public transport.
Recently, the demand for local public transport has increased, which is also due to the 9-euro ticket: According to an evaluation, 46 percent more people used local rail transport from April to June than in the first quarter.
jlk/dpa
