Federal Government: Before the “autumn of reforms” it crunches in the coalition

In the black and red coalition, it crunches before the announced “autumn of the reforms”. Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) said: “I am not satisfied with what we have done so far. It has to be more.” CDU general secretary Carsten Linnemann said with a view to the welfare state, the “autumn of reforms” decide whether politics is still able to reform at all. The SPD top confirmed claims, top earners should pay higher taxes. The background is a billion dollar gaps in the 2027 household.

Merz: Communication has to be better

The black and red federal government from the CDU, CSU and SPD has been in office since the beginning of May. Merz said on Saturday at a party congress of the CDU Lower Saxony in Osnabrück that a new migration policy and impulses for an economic turning were initiated. However, the Chancellor was dissatisfied.

In order to show that Germany can be successfully ruled out of the middle, he would like an SPD that continues the common path “migration -critical and industrial -friendly”, the Chancellor demanded. In addition, the communication of the coalition must be better. The CDU boss called both the SPD and its own party not to talk about each other, but to talk to each other.

Above all, the election of new judges for the Federal Constitutional Court bursting before the summer break caused conflicts in the coalition. There was also broad debates about the decision not to reduce electricity tax for everyone, contrary to the announcement in the coalition agreement.

Klingbeil remains with line

Tax policy is currently causing a dispute. Even after the criticism from the Union, Vice Chancellor Klingbeil stays with his line. He told the newspapers of the Funke media group that he, as a social democratic finance minister and party leader, has a basic conviction: “People who have very high fortune and income should contribute to the fact that it is more fair in this society. Especially in these extreme times.” If CSU boss Markus Söder or Union faction leader Jens Spahn had other ideas on how the household gap of 30 billion euros could be closed, he would be happy to listen to it, said Klingbeil. The SPD economy expert Sebastian Roloff concretized in the “Handelsblatt” that it “only fairly more on pollution from 20,000 euros per month”. Merz said in Osnabrück: “With this federal government under my leadership, there will be no increase in income tax for medium -sized companies in Germany.”

Rehlinger: No bans

The Saarland Prime Minister and deputy SPD chairman Anke Rehlinger said the “Bild am Sonntag”: “We shouldn’t impose any bans from the thinking from the outset.” What the SPD is thinking about is “for the very rich people in this country”. “In the coalition agreement, we made the clear statement to relieve small and medium -sized incomes. In addition a corporate tax reform for economic impulses. But I believe that it is good to raise the zoom a bit.”

Rehlinger also means inheritance tax. “We can take a look at the inheritance tax again.” This offers a lot of design scope that often “lead to a very low tax burden”.

Reforms of the welfare state

From September, reform proposals are to be made for social benefits such as citizens’ allowance, housing benefit and child surcharge. Federal Minister Bärbel BAS (SPD) set up a welfare state commission. The committee should submit results in accordance with the coalition agreement by the end of 2025.

The background to the background will be expected to increase further rapidly rising costs in the social systems in the coming years. Business associations have long been complaining that the work factor will become more expensive. Economic Minister Katherina Reiche (CDU) had also triggered a debate about a longer working life.

Chancellor appell to the SPD

Merz confirmed that a realignment of social policy was needed. “I will be irritated by words like social cuts and clear cutting and what comes,” he said. “The welfare state, as we have it today, can no longer be financed with what we do economically.” He deliberately does not make it easy for the Social Democrats, said Merz. “But the appeal is aimed at all of us: let’s show us together that changes are possible that reforms are possible.”

With a view to the budget gap, Klingbeil also called for structural reforms in health, care, citizens’ allowance and pension: “I expect more imagination from all those responsible than just performance cuts for employees.”

Linnemann: welfare state no longer financed

CDU general secretary Linnemann told the “Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung”: “Reforms were rare. The last time we had a moment 20 years ago.” Before the 2010 Agenda there were over five million unemployed. “Today there are other challenges, but the country is standing with its back to the wall at the time because the welfare state has no longer become affordable.” In the “Agenda 2010”, the then Chancellor Gerhard Schröder (SPD) implemented profound reforms in labor market and social policy. Linnemann said: “We have to make ourselves honest: We cannot continue to afford everything in the future.”