As of: February 29, 2024, 4:24 p.m
By: Florian Naumann
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Another CDU Prime Minister is gently thinking about a debt brake reform: Boris Rhein.
The Greens and SPD gratefully accept the proposal.
Berlin/Frankfurt - A statement from Hesse gives the Greens a sense of dawn on the long-running issue of the debt brake: "More and more prime ministers, including those from the CDU, are expressing their willingness to negotiate a modernization of the debt rules together with the federal government," said parliamentary group leader Katharina Dröge on Thursday ( February 29).
Hesse's Prime Minister Boris Rhein (CDU) provided the template.
Debt brake turnaround from Hesse?
The Greens are already appealing to Scholz
Although Rhein positioned himself as a “big supporter” of the debt brake, he left a back door open: “There are clever proposals for reforming the debt brake on the table, especially from the Council of Experts, which must be taken very seriously,” he explained to the
Tagesspiegel
.
The CDU politician referred to statements from economists.
“As the Green party in the Bundestag, we propose extending an invitation to the federal states to move forward together here,” said Green Party frontwoman Dröge.
She emphasized that a reform is “important to ensure the competitiveness of the German economy.”
Dröge appealed to Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) to put the issue on the agenda at the Prime Minister's Conference.
Robert Habeck and Katharina Dröge consult in the Bundestag.
(Archive image) © Bernd von Jutrczenka/dpa/picture-alliance
Economics Minister Robert Habeck (Greens) and finance counterpart Christian Lindner (FDP) have also argued more or less directly about this topic - with both focusing on the benefits of their proposals for the weakening German economy.
CDU state leaders give the Greens and SPD hope for the debt brake
The SPD and the Greens in particular are campaigning for a reform of the debt brake - the CDU/CSU and FDP reject it.
However, there are also a number of CDU politicians who are fundamentally open to change.
These include Berlin's Governing Mayor Kai Wegner, Saxony-Anhalt's Prime Minister Reiner Haseloff and currently also Rhine.
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Rhein emphasized, however, that the opportunities that the debt brake already offers should first be used.
In this context, he spoke of the necessary efforts to prevent Ukraine from being defeated in the war against Russia.
He also mentioned strengthening the Bundeswehr.
“The CDU will always lend a hand for the security of our country,” the Prime Minister made clear.
SPD applauds Rhine's debt brake statement
The SPD parliamentary group leader in Hesse, Tobias Eckert, welcomed Rhein's comments.
It is important “to analyze how the investment options of state budgets can be made more flexible,” explained Eckert in Wiesbaden.
“The above-mentioned proposals for reforming the debt brake, which the Federal Government’s Council of Experts presented, are a good guide.”
Juso chairman Philipp Türmer once again called for a reform of the debt brake.
This must be “gone” and the tax on large inheritances must be significantly increased, he demanded in
Spiegel
.
The traffic light coalition had agreed to stick to the debt brake for 2024.
However, it was also decided to examine the use of existing exceptions if the situation in Ukraine in particular requires this.
There are also considerations for a new or expanded Bundeswehr special fund.
(
AFP/fn
)