Lindner's relief package: "crass unfair" - Verdi criticizes tax plans

Created: 08/12/2022, 08:10

By: Andreas Apetz

Christian Lindner (FDP), Federal Minister of Finance, has been criticized for his concept of relieving the burden on citizens.

(Archive image) © Britta Pedersen/dpa

Christian Lindner's relief package is not well received by the Verdi union.

The finance minister only gets encouragement from his own party.

Berlin – The tax relief plans of Federal Finance Minister Christian Lindner (FDP) are heavily criticized.

After the German Economic Institute had already criticized the relief package, saying that people on low incomes would get "practically nothing", the Verdi union is now also rejecting the FDP leader's plans.

Chairman Frank Werneke also complained that the beneficiaries of the planned relief package were primarily people with high incomes.

In the

, Werneke described Lindner's tax plans as unfair: "Those who work hard every day but have a rather low income and are currently suffering most from the price increase would hardly benefit - that's blatantly unfair." The Verdi chairman instead pleads for direct payments for employees with low salaries, "tinkering with the tax rate" would be of no use.

Lindner's relief package: Verdi boss calls for new control concept

Lindner's plans would lead to "considerable permanent loss of income for the state," said Werneke.

This would weaken public services of general interest.

“The opposite is necessary.

That's why we at Verdi are calling for a comprehensive tax concept in which changes to the income tax rate are offset by an increase in the top tax rate and an excess profit tax."

The Federal Ministry of Finance resolutely rejects an excess profit tax that would affect companies that benefit from the current energy crisis without making any contributions of their own.

"I understand very well that high profits are perceived as unfair in view of rising energy prices," said the parliamentary state secretary in the Ministry of Finance, Florian Toncar (FDP), the

.

A higher tax for companies is only a consolation that would not help consumers and, in the worst case, could even drive prices up further.

Relief package: FDP asks for support

FDP parliamentary group leader Christian Dürr defended his party leader's plans and called for their support.

It is an "important step for more tax justice," Dürr told the

.

The proposed measures are a real relief for the broad, hard-working middle of society.

"My request to all critics is: to support Christian Lindner's project," says Dürr.

CDU General Secretary Mario Czaja also supported Lindner's approach in principle: "We also think that tax relief for the broad center by mitigating the cold progression is fundamentally right.

This relieves small and medium incomes in particular,” said Czaja in the

newspaper on Friday (August 12).

The federal chairman of the CDU, Friedrich Merz, criticized the plans of the finance minister.

"It would have been better to give a little more to households that are really in need, rather than watering the money out," he said.

Christian Lindner: The relief package should be worth 10 billion euros

FDP leader Lindner presented his tax plans on Wednesday (August 10).

A total of 48 million citizens should benefit.

It is about more than ten billion euros.

On paper, the percentage relief for low earners is higher than for top earners.

In absolute figures it is different.

Politicians from the coalition partners Greens and SPD see a social imbalance.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) had described Lindner's plans as a "good premium" and part of an overall package with further relief.

(aa/afp/dpa)