SPD leader Klingbeil is “stunned” by the new dispute in the coalition. He urged everyone involved to come to an agreement. The child protection association called the debate about basic child security “shameful and undignified”. Apparently the design is now complete.
The recent dispute in the traffic light coalition continues to cause discord in Berlin. SPD leader Lars Klingbeil was “stunned” by the argument, which he sharply criticized. The task of the government is to provide security, orientation and stability in the current situation, said Klingbeil in Frankfurt am Main. “I thought everyone understood that.”
Now this has not happened due to the dispute over the “Growth Opportunities Act”, the passage of which in the cabinet was blocked by Family Minister Lisa Paus. “I was very stunned that the argument continued immediately,” added Klingbeil, alluding to the heating dispute before the summer break.
He expects the government to come to an agreement at the cabinet meeting in Meseberg at the end of the month. You need both economic aid and basic child security, this is not a contradiction. The SPD leader demanded that the government in Meseberg also talk about the form of cooperation in traffic lights.
debate about Basic child security
On Wednesday, Paus vetoed the passage of Finance Minister Christian Lindner’s “Growth Opportunities Act” in the cabinet, which provides billions in tax breaks for companies. The reason for the blockade is obviously the disagreement with Lindner about the financing of basic child security. Paus recently estimated up to seven billion euros for this, originally even up to twelve billion euros. So far, however, Lindner only wants to grant two billion euros.
In this core project of the Greens, which is intended to replace various services such as child benefit and child supplement and make them more accessible, Paus has now submitted her proposals according to her own statements. They are available to the Federal Chancellery and the Federal Ministry of Finance, said the Green politician to the news portal “The Pioneer”. As requested by Chancellor Olaf Scholz, she presented different variants.
“Prosperous economy” as a prerequisite
Lindner also recently commented on basic child security and insisted on his position. “A family of five who receive citizen income receives an estimated 36,000 to 38,000 euros a year from taxpayers, he calculated in the “FAZ”. It doesn’t help much to pay them high additional transfers, be it 1,000 or even 3,000 euros per month Year.
In addition, it is not helpful to link completely different projects with one another in an unrelated manner. In addition, the following applies: “The logical prerequisite for a new service such as basic child security is that we have a prosperous economy at all.”
“Have to pull together”
In view of the dispute, the Parliamentary Secretary of the Greens in the Bundestag, Irene Mihalic, called for the coalition to return to work after the summer break. “I think the sharpness in the tone of some coalition members is now of little help,” she told the newspapers of the Funke media group. It is normal for a bill to be postponed again if there is a need for advice. “We have to pull together, the basic child security must come, as well as the ‘Growth Opportunities Act’.”
Child Protection Association: “Unworthy” Debate
Criticism of the dispute also comes from the President of the German Child Protection Association. Sabine Andresen stood behind Family Minister Paus. “I find the current discussion unworthy and shameful from the perspective of families with children,” she told the editorial network Germany.
“Because about every fifth child in Germany grows up in poverty. And if the fight against this child poverty is not prioritized, then an opportunity is missed.” The health and opportunities of children at risk of poverty are severely affected. “It also has an economic impact,” she added. It is also not just about merging services or increasing child benefit, but about a paradigm shift.
“I ask myself why a social democratic party doesn’t position itself more clearly? I miss that. And it surprises me. Ms. Paus doesn’t decide alone,” said the association’s president.