The 2024 budget is ready. But have all the questions – especially about the debt brake – been clarified? Finance Minister Lindner wants to… Report from Berlin know nothing about a traffic light problem.
How can the current budget crisis be solved? The dispute over this politically shapes the last weeks of the year. The traffic light finally got its act together – last Wednesday they agreed on the 2024 budget – but does that really end the wrangling?
Finance Minister Christian Lindner wanted to… Report from Berlin no longer know anything about a serious traffic light dispute: “Of course there are different opinions,” said the FDP leader. For him it was important that the debt brake was respected and tax increases were avoided. “This is now a common understanding of the government and therefore there is no burden,” said Lindner.
“Be able to act in crises”
Lindner emphasized that there was a clear consensus during the negotiations on Wednesday night about reinstating or suspending the debt brake – for example in the event that special costs arise from Russia’s war against Ukraine: “It is completely clear: If the situation changes, the situation will be reassessed. If a different situation arises with regard to Ukraine, then we will examine – namely: Can we raise additional funds from the federal budget? Or will we not be able to do so because of the financial burden is too high?”
Lindner pointed out that 17 billion euros in aid are currently earmarked for Ukraine – “and that is also reflected in the budget,” said the Finance Minister. “Any additional decisions that need to be made will be decided when the situation is there.” In case of doubt, this also includes the question of whether the debt brake needs to be suspended again. “With every new situation that comes to us and that is beyond the control of the state and cannot be reflected in the budget, we will of course consider making an exception to the debt brake,” said the minister.
The debt brake and compliance with it is not an ideological question, but rather a question of how debt can be reduced overall in order to be able to act in crises. He assumes that his party will support this approach because the budget clearly bears the signature of the FDP.
Agricultural diesel, kerosene, electric cars – the debate is not over yet
There is also debate about the specific form of the necessary savings – among other things, the tax privilege for agricultural diesel should be included here – but farmers are up in arms about this and want to demonstrate in front of the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin. The FDP parliamentary group, for its part, has already made it clear that it wants to maintain subsidies for farmers and the Green Agriculture Minister Cem Özdemir has also expressed concerns. The finance minister doesn’t want to close himself off from the debate: “If the agriculture minister and the FDP parliamentary group think that this needs to be discussed as part of a package, it needs to be taken seriously.”
The minister also sees a need for discussion regarding the planned introduction of a kerosene tax. It should not happen here that only German lines are affected and foreign airlines “do the business,” said Lindner. This would massively distort competition to the disadvantage of German companies. “We have to take a close look at the technical implementation of the political agreement,” demanded Lindner.
The finance minister defended the expiry of the e-car funding: “It was always clear that the funds available would end at some point,” he said. The bonus expires when the pot is exhausted. “There was never a guarantee. When the money is gone, it’s gone,” Lindner made clear.
Appeal to state political Responsibility
With a view to the planned FDP member survey on the future of the Liberals in the traffic lights, Lindner once again called for state political responsibility. The current situation is fundamentally different than in 2017, when the FDP decided not to join a government: “Now we have entered a government – you can’t just leave because you have to consider the consequences. For the country, but also for Europe “, warned the minister.