Wegner versus Söder: Debt brake dispute intensifies

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Berlin’s governing mayor Kai Wegner counters criticism from his party leader Friedrich Merz in the debt brake debate. “I have a clear stance: reforming the debt brake for future investments is urgently needed,” said Wegner star. “Incidentally, as Governing Mayor, I am happy when Berlin receives such great attention in the Bundestag.”

This intensifies the conflict between Merz and Wegner in the Union. Merz made it clear in the Bundestag on Tuesday that the Union is against any form of weakening the debt brake. He also indirectly criticized Wegner for his attitude. The decisions on the debt brake “will be made here in the German Bundestag and not in Berlin’s town hall,” said Merz.

Wegner thwarts the line of the party leadership

The day before, Merz had publicly downgraded his party friend from Berlin to a local politician. “There is a prime minister – or rather, mayor – who is of the opinion that the debt brake should not be included in the Basic Law. That is not the opinion of the CDU. That is not the opinion of the parliamentary group.” According to reports, the CDU leader is very angry about the Berliner’s comments, as they thwart the party leadership’s line.

However, other CDU prime ministers have also recently expressed criticism of the debt brake. “The debt brake must remain,” said the Prime Minister of Saxony-Anhalt, Reiner Haseloff star said. “But for very important future investments in business, technology and science, constitutionally compliant ways must be found to realize them.”

Michael Kretschmer, Prime Minister of Saxony, told the “Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung” that if the federal government was ready for real austerity measures, the Union would support it. At the end of a joint process there could be a pact for Germany – “and perhaps a discussion about changing the debt brake.” Such austerity measures must include no further increase in social spending.