The leading opposition bloc has firmly rejected suggestions from Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil that tax increases could be considered to address budgetary gaps in the upcoming national budget. Steffen Bilger, parliamentary managing director of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), acknowledged the need for fiscal consolidation, telling the “Rheinische Post” that “it is understandable and right for the Finance Minister to be thinking about consolidating the budget”. However, he stated unequivocally that tax hikes were “not the right way to go.
Bilger argued that Germany needs economic relief, not further burdens, emphasizing that such measures would hinder the country’s economic recovery. He also pointed to potential areas for savings, specifically citing the social welfare system – including citizen’s income – and migration policies. He affirmed that the governing coalition had already begun implementing austerity measures and urged them to continue this approach, stating his party would offer explicit support to the Finance Minister in these efforts.
The response follows recent comments by Vice Chancellor Klingbeil, who in a ZDF summer interview, indicated that tax increases were not being ruled out as an option in addressing the budget shortfall and that “no option is being taken off the table”.
