As of: February 4, 2024, 9:35 a.m
By: Florian Naumann
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The traffic light coalition continues to argue about money.
Green Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck reacts surprisingly to Christian Lindner.
Berlin - The FDP finance minister wants to avoid debt - the Green economics minister wants more money for (green) investments: The traffic light coalition is already in the middle of the next (expected) dispute about money.
Christian Lindner (FDP) very publicly rejected Robert Habeck's (Greens) proposal for a new special fund for the German economy.
But the Vice Chancellor countered in a remarkable way: with demonstrative support for the opponent in his own coalition.
But also a big but.
Suspended precisely on the polarizing topic of citizens' money.
Lindner and Habeck insist in the newspaper: “Surprising in every respect”
In the
Welt am Sonntag,
Lindner gave Habeck an extremely poisonous response to his push for a special fund to relieve the burden on companies in Germany.
Habeck's idea was “surprising in every respect,” said the FDP leader.
“The Minister of Economic Affairs is saying that he is dissatisfied with the existing economic policy of the federal government and that he believes something completely different is necessary.”
Lindner made it clear: he also believes an “economic turnaround” is necessary.
That's why he was ready to accept Habeck's offer for discussion.
However, he is not convinced by the specific proposal to “incur hundreds of billions of euros in debt in order to pay subsidies on credit”.
A lot to communicate: Christian Lindner (left) and Robert Habeck on the government bench in the Bundestag.
© IMAGO/dts news agency
The paper also gave the Green Vice-Chancellor the opportunity to react.
And he initially verbally hugged Lindner in his interview published on Saturday evening (February 3rd).
Habeck told
Welt am Sonntag
: “I am with Christian Lindner: We have to do more for growth and economic dynamism.” He is therefore happy to work with Lindner on a dynamization package.
He had just introduced suggestions for this into the joint government work.
In terms of content, Habeck seemed to want to drive Lindner into a corner with his expressed approval.
Habeck wants to “keep up with the USA” – a swipe at Lindner when it comes to citizens’ money
“I also see that overall we have corporate taxation that is no longer internationally competitive and investment-friendly enough,” he said.
“That's exactly why we should think about how we can finance tax relief and tax incentives for investments in the future, for example, in order to really unleash the forces.”
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Habeck also referred to the state of the federal budget - the FDP continues to vehemently oppose reform of the debt brake.
Unfortunately, there is “extremely narrow financial scope” at the federal, state and local levels, said Habeck.
“And yes, we will certainly have to make savings, including in the 2025 budget.”
Recently, the “economists” also called for a reform of the debt brake.
Habeck's next argumentative step: Klecker solutions are not enough.
“If we really want to develop force to keep up with the USA, we can’t do it with a zero round of citizen’s money,” said Habeck.
He was referring to Lindner's statements about a zero round of citizens' money that he expects in 2025 - and probably also to the question of where the required money should come from without changes to the debt brake.
The USA had put together a relief package worth more than $400 billion with the “Inflation Reduction Act”.
Habeck and Lindner in the subsidy dispute: FDP boss warns of interest rate problem
Habeck brought a special fund into play in the Bundestag on Thursday to solve structural problems.
For example, he mentioned the possibility of creating tax credits and tax depreciation options.
Instead, the FDP leader called for, among other things, “a dynamization package to unleash private investment, entrepreneurial spirit and competitiveness.”
There is also a need for more flexibility in the labor market, for example through less bureaucracy, and a climate protection law “that overcomes the planned economy requirements”.
Lindner also called for an energy policy “that focuses primarily on security of supply and competitive prices.”
After the exchange of opinions in the Sunday newspaper, the ball should now be back in Lindner's court.
However, the finance minister had already blocked the reference to US subsidies in his interview.
“Many people are oriented towards the debt-financed economic policy of the USA.
But if we did it like the USA, we would soon have to pay 20, 30 or 40 billion euros or more a year in interest," he warned in Welt
am Sonntag
.
There had recently been warnings from the FDP that the traffic lights would break down.
(
fn/dpa
)