The SPD youth organization had already presented a concept in November according to which everyone would receive 60,000 euros for their 18th birthday. Martin Schirdewan is now calling for something very similar.
The left-wing federal chairman Martin Schirdewan wants to pay young people a basic inheritance of 50,000 euros for their 18th birthday. “It is primarily inheritance that determines wealth and poverty in Germany,” he told “Stern”. The basic inheritance would be a “small compensation for the injustice of the distribution”.
Significantly more than 100 billion euros are inherited every year, but not evenly. “The top ten percent of heirs and recipients together receive about as much as the bottom 90 percent,” said Schirdewan. He also pointed out the big differences between West Germany and East Germany.
According to Schirdewan’s proposal, everyone with their main residence in Germany should receive a basic inheritance equal to an average annual income when they come of age. That would be around 50,000 euros gross. For young people who have already inherited or will inherit, the payment should be offset. To finance this, Schirdewan wants to “drastically increase” inheritance tax from an amount of two million euros.
The Jusos had already made a similar demand in November. At its federal congress, the SPD’s youth organization voted for a concept that provides for an unconditional payment of 60,000 euros to everyone who has reached the age of 18 and has their main residence in Germany. Here too, financing should come from a reform of the inheritance tax.
Source: Stern
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