The federal government may continue to take out additional loans. It is still an “extraordinary emergency situation”, it is said. Parliament had already allowed large loans in the previous two years.
Due to the ongoing corona pandemic and the war in Ukraine, the Bundestag has again overridden the debt brake in the Basic Law.
This enabled the federal government to take out additional loans. Such a decision is only possible in exceptional emergency situations.
Parliament had already allowed large loans in the two previous years – at that time because of the Corona crisis. This time, the Russian attack on Ukraine would have far-reaching effects, argued the traffic light coalition. Therefore, there is still an “extraordinary emergency situation”.
New debts of EUR 138.9 billion are planned for the current year. That is around 115.7 billion more than the Basic Law actually allows. Among other things, the money will be used to finance relief packages that are intended to offset rising inflation and high energy prices among citizens.
