The CDU/CSU political bloc has reacted cautiously to the SPD’s proposal that parliamentarians forego a salary increase this year. Steffen Bilger, the Union’s first parliamentary secretary, told the “Süddeutsche Zeitung” (Friday edition) that the amount of deputies’ allowances is not decided by political decisions but instead follows a “clearly regulated automatic process”. He added that this existing mechanism promotes both transparency and traceability.
Bilger noted that the suggestion to exceptionally suspend this mechanism had also come from elements within the CDU/CSU itself. He referred specifically to a push by CDU deputy Wilhelm Gebhard, who had demanded that the planned raise-citing the rise in fuel and oil prices and the burden on citizens-send a “signal” of politician accountability. In response to this, Bilger stated that the parliamentary group would discuss the issue internally.
Sources within the Union suggested that they would have preferred to discuss the matter privately with the SPD before presenting a joint proposal. Nevertheless, the interest in sending a clear signal is understandable. An alternative to outright renunciation of a salary increase could have involved deputies contributing to a pension fund or making cuts to supplementary benefits.
Currently, the salary increase scheduled for this year amounts to 4.2 percent, raising the allowance from 11,833.47 Euros to 12,330.48 Euros.
