Steer
FDP parliamentary group leader Dürr: Gradually melt away solidarity
Tax relief is now needed across the board, said FDP parliamentary group leader Christian Dürr. photo
© Michael Kappeler/dpa
For most people, the solidarity surcharge has already been abolished; only top earners pay it. Is that contemporary? Now the FDP is proposing to gradually reduce solidarity.
In the debate about the complete abolition of the solidarity surcharge to relieve the burden on the economy FDP parliamentary group leader Christian Dürr proposed a gradual reduction. “We can also abolish the solidarity surcharge in steps. I suggest that we abolish the solidarity surcharge in several annual steps,” said Dürr to the “Rheinische Post” on the question of how the expected shortfall in income can be counter-financed. “We should start with this as quickly as possible. We now need tax relief across the board, not just for companies, but also for service providers,” demanded Dürr.
Finance Minister and FDP leader Christian Lindner introduced the cancellation of the solidarity for companies on Sunday in the ARD “Report from Berlin” in the debate about improving the competitiveness of German companies. If you really want to do something about taxes, then this would be the easiest and fastest way, said the FDP politician. This would also have the advantage that states and municipalities would not be burdened. But you then have to talk about counter-financing. The SPD rejected the proposal, and Economics Minister Robert Habeck from the Greens was also skeptical.
The Soli was introduced in 1991 – a year after German unification – and was intended to help finance economic development in the new federal states. It was levied until 2020 as an additional levy of 5.5 percent on income and corporation tax in order to finance the burden of reunification. Since 2021, only top earners and corporations have to pay it. Last year, the solidarity provided the federal government with income of around twelve billion euros.