SPD General Secretary Tim Klüssendorf has accused the CDU/CSU Union of being dishonest during the debate surrounding the debt brake. Speaking to RTL and ntv on Wednesday, Klüssendorf advocated for a pragmatic, non-ideological approach to the issue.
He defended the proposal put forward by SPD parliamentary group leader Matthias Miersch, calling it a valid point that demands honest discussion rather than a provocation. Klüssendorf argued that because the war in Iran could have unforeseen economic consequences for Germany, policymakers should not preemptively restrict all available financial instruments.
Furthermore, he rejected the assessment from Union MP Christian von Stetten, who predicted that the current coalition could not last four years. Klüssendorf stated he did not share that view, reiterating that open, honest discussion is required. He criticized the Union’s consistency, drawing a parallel to the Bundestag election campaign. According to Klüssendorf, before the election, the Union claimed that all funding would be covered via resources allocated to basic income recipients, but the reality has shown that major spending increases occurred despite those initial promises.
He pointed out that at that time, the need to soften the debt rules was dismissed, yet days later, a special fund was approved, which introduced massive additional liabilities. Klüssendorf concluded by urging the political class to move beyond ideological standpoints and instead focus on what is genuinely beneficial for the country.
