Budget 2024
The budget is not discussed in regular cabinet meetings
Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck (from left), Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Finance Minister Christian Lindner have been negotiating the budget for days. photo
© Kay Nietfeld/dpa
The traffic light leaders don’t have much time left to get the 2024 budget in place this year. Meanwhile, an agreement is not in sight.
The federal government continues to struggle on Wednesday budget for the coming year. The round of negotiations led by Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD), Economics Minister Robert Habeck (Greens) and Finance Minister Christian Lindner (FDP) has not yet reached an agreement. According to dpa information, the talks should continue on Wednesday.
Green Party leader Ricarda Lang said in an interview with BR on Wednesday morning: “I don’t assume that a new draft budget will be decided in the cabinet today, but that a political decision will follow very, very soon.” The traffic light coalition was aiming for a cabinet discussion on Wednesday, at least internally, in order to decide on the budget before the end of the year. However, a decision is also possible in the so-called circulation procedure, i.e. in writing.
The budget committee would then discuss the matter first, followed by the Bundestag, the latter probably in a special budget week directly before Christmas. The Federal Council could approve the plans on December 22nd.
Lindner puts the gap in the budget for the coming year at 17 billion euros. It arises, among other things, from the Karlsruhe budget ruling and the effects on various loan-financed special funds. Savings in various areas and also the renewed suspension of the debt brake for 2024 are now being discussed.