Federal government: Trittin defends Paus: You can’t rely on agreements

In the dispute within the coalition about basic child security, Green politician Jürgen Trittin gave family minister Lisa Paus (also the Greens) his back after she blocked the Growth Opportunities Act. “Lisa Paus’ actions can be more than understood in view of the experiences in the coalition,” said the former Greens parliamentary group leader of the German Press Agency in Berlin. “Unlike with the Red-Green Party, you can’t rely on agreements with the SPD and the FDP. It’s only logical that the agreed basic child protection is properly financed before you agree to tax cuts from Mr. Lindner.”

With the basic child security, Paus wants to combine benefits for families and increase them at the same time. The FDP is critical of performance improvements. Against this background, Paus had blocked the so-called Growth Opportunities Act from Federal Finance Minister Christian Lindner (FDP) in the cabinet. This is a legislative package with tax policy measures intended to relieve the economy by around 6.5 billion euros a year.

“In doing so, she broke through the mechanism whereby the Greens repeatedly paid for a political agreement with the FDP because they paid in advance,” said former Federal Environment Minister Trittin. At the same time, he doubted the effectiveness of the relief proposed by Lindner. “Lindner’s Growth Opportunities Act brings little, the fight against child poverty economically a lot.” The relief for low-income groups, for example with basic child security, is more growth-promoting than any tax cut for companies.

“Quite normal process in the cabinet”

The Green housekeeper Sven-Christian Kindler also sided with the family minister. “Lisa Paus’ approach is correct. It is a completely normal procedure in the cabinet for draft laws to be postponed for a few weeks,” Kindler told the “Rheinische Post”. He advised, “Everyone should come down from the trees now and get back to work on the matter.” Kindler still sees room for improvement in the Growth Opportunities Act, “especially with a view to the cost-benefit efficiency of some proposals and the effects on municipal coffers”. He called the basic child security not only socio-political, but also economically sensible. “With it, we are fighting poverty among children and young people and investing in the skilled workers of tomorrow.”

Juso boss Jessica Rosenthal called for a quick agreement on basic child security. “It’s the highest priority that we finally start implementing it. I can’t take another day that there is child poverty in a rich country like Germany and families don’t get the support they deserve,” Rosenthal told the Rheinische Post. “But the way Lisa Paus is acting here is not a good way. It doesn’t help us to link irrelevant topics,” said the Juso boss.

In the Federal Parents’ Council, Paus’ approach is “extremely controversial”, as its chairwoman Christiane Gotte told the editorial network Germany (RND). The scale ranges “from full understanding and agreement to absolute incomprehension and complete rejection”. She warned that combating child poverty and relieving families must be the top priority because the future of society is at stake. “This must finally reach Mr. Lindner.”

SPD leader Klingbeil urges cohesion

The costs of basic child security are also disputed. Only two billion euros are currently earmarked for the starting year 2025. Paus initially asked for twelve billion, later a maximum of seven billion euros per year. According to a report by “Zeit online”, the draft law now initially speaks of 3.5 billion euros in 2025. In a press statement on Friday, Paus did not give any figures and did not allow any questions.

SPD leader Lars Klingbeil called on the traffic light coalition to stick together. “A war is raging in the middle of Europe, the economy needs our support for climate-neutral conversion, we have a right-wing extremist party that is growing. We have to use our energy to meet these challenges,” Klingbeil told RND. “I expect all coalition partners to come to their senses quickly,” he added. The government must solve people’s everyday problems and give them security in times of change. The cabinet meeting at the end of the month must be a success, warned Klingbeil.