The goal of more calm in the coalition does not last long. FDP politicians attack the green family minister. And what does the chancellor do?
A dispute within the federal government about relief for the economy puts the coalition under pressure to act. The Union doubts the ability of the alliance of SPD, Greens and FDP to govern. Business associations are demanding a quick solution.
Contrary to what had been planned, the cabinet did not pass the so-called Growth Opportunities Act by Finance Minister Christian Lindner (FDP) on Wednesday – a package of tax policy measures intended to relieve the economy by around 6.5 billion euros a year. Family Minister Lisa Paus (Greens) blocked the project. This met with massive criticism, especially in the FDP.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) said on Wednesday at the NRW Entrepreneurs’ Day in Düsseldorf: “We will pass a growth opportunity law this month.” A cabinet meeting will take place in Meseberg at the end of August. The few days until then will be used to “make the law a little nicer,” said Scholz.
Paus: More money is needed for children and families
Paus emphasized that more money is needed for children and families in order to increase prosperity. “The basic child security is an investment in the future of our children and our prosperity. That’s why we are well advised to do both: to improve the opportunities for children to participate and to strengthen growth opportunities for the economy,” said the Green politician of the German Press Agency. “We have to tackle both in a targeted manner and show as a traffic light that we can do it together and at the same time.”
Basic child security is intended to enable families to access state benefits more easily. However, the FDP is skeptical about performance improvements. The coalition partners had already crossed paths on several issues before the summer break, and there was a long conflict primarily over the controversial heating law. After the summer break, the coalition actually wanted to work better together.
With a view to the recent dispute, CSU regional group leader Alexander Dobrindt told the “Augsburger Allgemeine” newspaper: “One can hardly display concentrated government incompetence and a lack of common will to govern more obviously.”
Trade associations warn
Business associations warned of delays in the project in view of an economic downturn in Germany. Christoph Ahlhaus, head of the Federal Association of Small and Medium-Sized Businesses, said: “While Germany, unlike other countries, is slipping into a deep recession, the federal government is allowing itself to fight the personal vanities of individual ministers.”
FDP General Secretary Bijan Djir-Sarai said to the TV channel “Welt” with regard to Paus’ blockade: “It’s unprofessional. We shouldn’t work together like this.” The first parliamentary manager of the FDP parliamentary group, Johannes Vogel, told the television station “Phoenix” that Paus was making a “misconception”. She fails to recognize that Germany can only afford its “great welfare state” if the country is economically strong.
On the other hand, the Green finance expert Katharina Beck said “MDR Aktuell” that it was important to give the economy investment impulses. But one should not “continue to accept that every fifth child lives in poverty”. At the same time, Beck admitted that the linking of the two areas was “unfortunate”.
Source: Stern
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