Christoph Ploß, the former CDU chairman of Hamburg, plans to push the party to reject the SPD’s health‑care proposal. According to “Der Spiegel”, he will submit an initiative at the CDU’s party conference over the weekend. The initiative would call for the CDU to oppose the SPD’s suggestion to levy social‑security contributions on capital‑gains and rental income.
Ploß’s move comes after remarks by Health Minister Nina Warken last weekend that had been interpreted as an openness to broadening the sources of contribution income. Warken later clarified that she is not in favor of the SPD proposal, calling it “not goal‑oriented”.
Spokesman for the Bundestag, Ploß said a clear rejection is necessary. He described the social‑security‑charge ideas as “unbalanced”. His argument centers on the complex claims such a levy would create: for instance, a person who is privately insured for health care but pays both the capital‑gains tax on dividends and social‑security contributions would simultaneously earn entitlements in the statutory health system.
Ploß also warned that imposing social‑security contributions on rental income could trigger a sharp rise in rents. “Given the already high rents, especially in Germany’s major cities, the left‑wing proposal would be socially disastrous” he said.
