Finance Minister Lindner wants to save again. He rejects expectations for further relief – at least for the time being.
Federal Finance Minister Christian Lindner has dampened hopes that citizens and companies would be given further relief in the face of high inflation.
The FDP chairman told the news portal t-online that he had read that the coalition wanted to make a decision before the summer break. “But there is little financial and legal leeway if we don’t save elsewhere. That must be taken into account in all proposals.”
SPD faction leader Rolf Mützenich and Agriculture Minister Cem Özdemir (Greens) recently brought further relief into play. In particular, the middle of society need this because of rising energy and food prices, said Mützenich also t-online. Özdemir argued similarly in the “Welt am Sonntag”: “After the relief package is before the relief package.”
Wait for the measures to take effect
Lindner now advised to let the previous measures take effect first. For example, a family of four has just been relieved of over 1,000 euros in some cases. “For the coming year I recommend new measures. The middle of our country deserves a tax break, especially the small and middle incomes. In view of the high inflation, we must above all prevent cold progression.”
The finance minister was also reluctant to extend the energy price flat rate of 300 euros to pensioners. “There are no reserves in the 2022 federal budget,” he emphasized. “Relief never fails because of the Free Democrats. But at the same time the federal government has reached its financial limit.” The energy price flat rate for pensioners would cost the federal and state governments 5.3 billion euros.
The fact that pensioners and students do not receive the flat-rate energy price has triggered considerable criticism from social organizations, among others. The Minister of Finance pointed out on t-online that the concept for the lump sum came from Minister of Labor and Social Affairs Hubertus Heil (SPD).
