German Federal Finance Minister Christian Lindner has dampened hopes for rapid further relief for citizens and businesses due to high inflation, according to Handelsblatt.
He had read that the coalition wanted to decide on this before the summer holidays, the FDP leader told the t-online news portal. “However, there is little financial and legal scope for this, unless we save elsewhere. This must be taken into account in all proposals.”
SPD parliamentary group leader Rolf Mützenich and Agriculture Minister Cem Özdemir (Greens) had recently brought further relief to the table. Mützenich also told t-online that the middle class’s need this especially because of rising energy and food prices. Demzdemir similarly argued in “Welt am Sonntag”: “After the relief package is before the relief package”.
Lindner now advised to let the previous measures take effect first. For example, he said, a family of four had just been relieved of more than 1,000 euros in some cases. “So for next year, I propose new measures. The middle classes of our country deserve tax cuts, especially low and middle incomes. In view of high inflation, we must above all prevent the cold development.”
The finance minister also expressed reservations about extending the 300-euro energy price allowance to retirees. “There are no reserves in the 2022 federal budget,” he said. “Relief never fails because of the Free Democrats. At the same time, however, the federal government has reached its financial limits.” The flat-rate energy price for retirees will cost the federal government and state governments 5.3 billion euros.
The fact that retirees as well as students do not receive the flat-rate price of energy has drawn significant criticism, including from social unions. The Minister of Finance pointed out to t-online that the idea for the single rate came from the Minister of Labor and Social Affairs Hubertus Heil (SPD).
Source: Capital
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