What the Bundestag still wants to decide before the new election

The traffic light coalition is history, Chancellor Olaf Scholz has lost the trust of Parliament. Nevertheless, the Bundestag can still pass laws until a new election in February – if there is a majority. To achieve this, the minority government of the SPD and the Greens is dependent on help from the opposition. Despite the difficult situation, this could still work for some projects, especially in terms of relief for taxpayers and families.

According to the meeting calendar, the Bundestag will meet for two and a half weeks of sessions before the planned election date on February 23rd: this week, at the end of January and on February 10th and 11th. There is still a resolution on the horizon for these larger laws and projects:

This bill is due on Thursday: The former traffic light partners SPD, Greens and FDP, as well as now also the Union, want to jointly decide on relief for families and all taxpayers. From January onwards, child benefit will increase by five euros per month to 255 euros, and the child allowance will also be increased. The immediate child supplement for families with low incomes is also planned to increase by five euros to 25 euros.

In addition, the effect of inflation on income tax should be offset. To achieve this, all key parameters in the tax rate, with the exception of the tax on the rich, will be shifted so that higher tax rates only take effect later. Among other things, the basic tax allowance, i.e. the part of income that is not taxed, will be increased. The draft envisages an increase of 312 euros to 12,096 euros in 2025. It is expected to rise further in 2026. The exemption limit for the solidarity surcharge will also be adjusted.

In order for the relief to actually come, the Federal Council must agree. Since the states would lose income as a result of the tax relief, their approval is by no means a given. Either way, the relief will probably not be felt in your wallet in January because the administration will need some time to implement it.

Even before the end of the traffic light coalition, the SPD, Greens, FDP and the Union had agreed on a draft law that would make the Federal Constitutional Court more resistant to influence and blockade by enemies of the constitution. This will now also be voted on on Thursday. The core of the reform project is that certain rules can no longer be changed with a simple majority in the future.

According to the initiators, it has been shown in Poland and Hungary how enemies of democracy can abuse a parliamentary majority to influence the Constitutional Court. The Federal Constitutional Court ensures compliance with the Basic Law.

Now the twelve-year term of office of judges, the exclusion of re-election and the age limit of 68 years for judges are to be enshrined in the Basic Law, so that changes would only be possible with a two-thirds majority. The definition of 16 judges and two senates should also be anchored. To ensure that the court’s ability to function is never jeopardized, the Basic Law should also state that a judge continues to carry out his official duties until a successor is elected.

In order to financially secure the popular Deutschlandticket in local transport in the coming year, the regionalization law is to be changed. The core issue is the transferability of remaining funds from government subsidies to subsequent years. The SPD, Greens and Union agreed on the change. What will happen with the ticket in the long term remains to be seen. Federal funding is only committed for the coming year. Union parliamentary group vice-president Ulrich Lange (CSU) said: “What happens after 2025 must be decided by the new federal government together with the new coalition.”

Family Minister Lisa Paus is urgently promoting a law that should better protect women from domestic violence and guarantee a legal right to help and protection in an emergency. “I would like to ask the Union to seriously discuss the Violence Aid Act in the Bundestag, to make it even better, but to pass it before the new elections,” said the Green politician to the DPA. On the Union side, parliamentary group vice-president Andrea Lindholz sets clear conditions: Among other things, protection in women’s shelters should not apply to trans women. However, the government draft explicitly refers to the fact that trans women would also fall under the term “woman”.

Another sticking point: The Union insists on electronic ankle bracelets for violent criminals. There is a suggestion from the Ministry of Justice about this. However, it is questionable whether the draft, which has not even passed the cabinet yet, can become law before the new election.

The Union and the FDP have signaled their approval of a bill for underground storage of climate-damaging carbon dioxide (CO2). The law envisages storing captured CO2 in an underground storage facility on a larger scale in order to achieve climate goals. This is particularly planned in the North Sea. The aim is to deal with emissions that are difficult to avoid, including in lime and cement production.

Four Bundeswehr missions abroad are to be extended early. German participation in the European Union-led Operation Eunavfor Aspides and in the UN mission UNMISS in South Sudan is scheduled to continue until October 31, 2025. The deployment of German soldiers for the NATO-led maritime security operation Sea Guardian and the EU-led Operation Eunavfor Med Irini in the central Mediterranean is to be extended until November 30, 2025. It is expected that the Union will vote.