The factions of the traffic light coalition have given their approval to the budget agreement. “I think it is good that we are now showing that we can act in the geopolitical situation,” said the leader of the Green Party. Ricarda Lang from the dpa news agency before the start of a meeting of the Greens parliamentary group. Green Party co-chair Omid Nouripour also said: “Especially in this tense geopolitical situation, it is an important signal that this government is demonstrating the ability to act.” It would provide “growth impulses for the economy,” better combat the shortage of skilled workers and strengthen social cohesion.
In the morning, Chancellor Olaf Scholz informed the SPD parliamentary group about the results of the negotiations with the Federal Minister of Economic Affairs. Robert Habeck (Greens) and Federal Finance Minister Christian Lindner (FDP). The three government representatives want to present the results at a press conference tomorrow morning.
SPD parliamentary group leader Rolf Mützenich said after the meeting that “many tricks” were needed to close the budget gap. “We did not want to suspend the debt brake, but rather consider an instrument that would provide for this in times that are not normal. If some people think that they have to fight because of a dogma, then they are wrong,” he said, referring to the FDP.
‘We do what is necessary for people’
Party leader Lars Klingbeil was more reserved. The SPD leader told the party and the parliamentary group that they would look “very carefully” at the government’s draft federal budget and check whether “the social democratic objectives are reflected in this budget.” Editorial Network Germany (RND). At the same time, Klingbeil praised the initiatives for more child benefits, affordable housing and investments in childcare. “We do what is necessary for the people,” he said. In general, it is good that “the federal government is now presenting a uniform budget before the summer recess, so that members of parliament can start their discussions with citizens in the constituencies with clarity.”
In principle, the SPD members of the Bundestag were satisfied with the budget agreement, as ZEIT ONLINE learned from the parliamentary group. Now you can go into the parliamentary summer break, which begins next Friday, with a clear conscience. It was clear to realists from the start that there would be no reform of the debt brake with the FDP this year, it was said from the SPD parliamentary group. This is now a topic for next year’s election campaign.
At the same time, Habeck explained the details to the Green parliamentary group. Green party leader Katharina Dröge said before the group meeting that a reform of the debt brake had not been implemented in the talks. “In budget policy, Christian Lindner has very severely restricted himself on certain issues and, in my opinion, placed them above other necessary issues,” said Dröge. Putting compliance with the debt brake ‘above security and defense’ is ‘not a sensible priority’.
Supplementary budget for 2024
According to SPD parliamentary group vice-chair Achim Post, the government has also reached an agreement on a supplementary budget for 2024. This would allow more money to be mobilized, he told Deutschlandfunk. According to the planned key points of the draft for 2025, the debt brake will be adhered to. “It’s sewn up on the edge,” Post said. Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) will probably get a smaller increase in his budget than 6.5 billion euros. However, the NATO target of two percent of gross domestic product for defense spending has been secured.
Green politician Anton Hofreiter pointed to the government’s responsibility. “Given the situation in the world, it would be irresponsible to let the coalition collapse,” the Bundestag’s European Commission President said before his party’s parliamentary group meeting.
“The debt brake is on”
Minister of Justice Marco Buschmann (FDP) spoke of a “great compliment for the outcome of the negotiations in the Chancellery.” “The debt brake is maintained with high investments in security and infrastructure plus tax incentives for growth and reduction of bureaucracy,” he wrote on X. Serious Democrats showed: it is “about our country.” FDP Secretary General Bijan Djir-Sarai was also pleased with the agreement. “The budget is in place and the economic turnaround is coming: with compliance with the debt brake, relief for the hard-working middle class and a clear impetus for more growth,” he said. The long negotiations were worth it.
“The debt brake will be maintained, Germany can grow again, these are two important signals,” said FDP parliamentary group leader Christian Dürr after a virtual FDP parliamentary group meeting. The most important thing is: “We are making do with the money that the citizens make available to us.” As a result, the German debt ratio will continue to fall and the burden on the population will also continue to fall. On the other hand, investments remained “at a historically high level,” Dürr said. “We are strengthening the growth factors in Germany.”
For CDU leader Friedrich Merz, the traffic light government’s budget agreement proves that a reform of the debt brake is not necessary. “The debt brake, as laid down in the Basic Law, is correct,” he said on ARDMorning magazine“So far she has made sure that we don’t take on too much debt. She gives us a lot of room to maneuver,” he added.
Criticism came from CSU boss Markus Söder. He believes that the budget breakthrough is not enough for a fundamental change in Germany. “The coalition seems to have clearly averted the point of decline last night,” said the Bavarian prime minister. However, the traffic light government lacks a long-term perspective, which is not only reflected in partial measures, but also in a shared philosophy, according to Söder. The three partners are still infinitely far apart. “A really extensive fitness regime would be needed, extensive medication would be needed and not just a rheumatism blanket and emergency plasters,” said Söder.
“The right priorities for safety”
The spokesman for parliamentary left, Matthias Miersch, expressed himself positively. “It is good that there is now a basis for consultation in parliament. It remains important that no groups are played off against each other and that investments can be made in the future,” he said. Other parliamentarians said that the agreement was “a value in itself,” given the different basic positions of the SPD, the Greens and the FDP.
Federal Minister of the Interior Nancy Faeser expressed her satisfaction. “The next budget is a real security budget,” the SPD politician wrote on X. The protection of the people in Germany will be strengthened with investments in domestic security. Government circles said that 1,000 additional police officers would be added to the federal police in the coming year.
The chairman of the Bundestag’s Defense Committee, Marcus Faber (FDP), praised the agreement on the defense budget. “The renewed increase in the defense budget underlines the high priority of modernizing the Bundeswehr,” he told the Funke media group. “In its draft, the federal government sets the right priorities for the security of the republic.
The factions of the traffic light coalition have given their approval to the budget agreement. “I think it is good that we are now showing that we can act in the geopolitical situation,” said the leader of the Green Party. Ricarda Lang from the dpa news agency before the start of a meeting of the Greens parliamentary group. Green Party co-chair Omid Nouripour also said: “Especially in this tense geopolitical situation, it is an important signal that this government is demonstrating the ability to act.” It would provide “growth impulses for the economy,” better combat the shortage of skilled workers and strengthen social cohesion.