In light of the divergent proposals from the Union and SPD to finance the social state, the German Confederation of Trade Unions (DGB) is urging the wealthier citizens of the country to be taken more seriously. “Those who stand on the sunny side of life must take on more responsibility” said DGB board member Stefan Körzel to the newspapers of the Neuen Berliner Redaktionsgesellschaft in its Thursday edition. “We need a debate about distributing wealth more fairly – there are huge imbalances” he added.
Körzel’s demands include an inheritance tax with no loopholes for large corporate assets, coupled with installment options for businesses. He also called for a broader discussion on how the affluent should contribute to infrastructure costs, the armed forces, and the demographic shift. The tax on savings interest is another point he wants tackled. “It cannot be that we tax capital earnings at a flat 25 percent while the income tax remains progressive” he said.
Because inheritance and wealth‑tax revenues go to the states, Körzel suggested that the federal government consider a one‑off wealth contribution – large fortunes would be required to give up a certain percentage of their assets once. He stressed the need for generous exemptions. “It is unacceptable that billionaires in this country keep getting richer while the distribution becomes ever more unequal” the DGB board member warned.
