Status: 10/16/2021 1:05 p.m.
A higher minimum wage, extensive investments, but no tax increases. In the result paper of the traffic light explorations, critics particularly complain that the question of financing remains open. But there is also praise – even from within the Union.
The basic agreements of the SPD, Greens and FDP for the start of coalition talks have – as expected – provoked different reactions. There is particular criticism of how the projects are to be financed.
CDU General Secretary Paul Ziemiak told the “Rheinische Post” that the result contained more questions than answers. “A lot of suggestions were simply thrown together – without specifically saying what that means for the people. In particular, the question of financial feasibility remains open.”
Ver.di boss Frank Werneke made a similar statement in the same newspaper: When it comes to the necessary finances, the exploratory paper is “unfortunately extremely anemic”. “No reliable plans are shown for the necessary future investments in climate protection, not even the financing volume is described. If the coalition negotiations begin soon, this must be followed up urgently.”
Jessica Rosenthal, federal chairwoman of the Jusos – the youth organization of the SPD, was also critical of the financial aspects of the paper. “What we can’t understand is how the investment is going to be paid for in the end and why the redistributive issues that are important to us aren’t there,” she told news channel Phoenix.
Praise from Merz and Laschet
The CDU politician Friedrich Merz, on the other hand, was surprisingly positive: “I think you have presented a remarkable paper,” said Merz to the editorial network in Germany. “This is an occasion for respect and critical self-examination: we could have had that too.”
The CDU chairman Armin Laschet also paid tribute to the agreements: “The paper that was presented is fine,” said Laschet at the Junge Union’s Germany Day in Münster. In the exploratory paper there are “many good things in it”. “We could have done a lot there.”
BDA: Higher minimum wage “extremely dangerous”
Despite all the criticism of the finances – Ver.di boss Werneke also sees positive aspects: “It is good: A minimum wage of twelve euros comes, the pension level remains stable – this in the event of a rejection of an increase in the retirement age, better conditions in care, an offensive in non-profit housing, “he told the” Rheinische Post “.
The fact that the SPD and the Greens were able to prevail on the minimum wage is in turn rejected by the Federal Association of German Employers’ Associations (BDA). “The fact that this new traffic light alliance wants to overturn the minimum wage commission is out of the question. This is a serious encroachment on collective bargaining autonomy,” said employer president Rainer Dulger to the newspapers of the Funke media group. For companies, a minimum wage of 12 euros would be “extremely dangerous”.