Dennis Radtke, Chairman of the Labour Wing within the Union party, has called upon the coalition of the Union and the SPD to implement major social reforms before the summer break. As reported by the “Rheinische Post” (Wednesday edition), Radtke detailed several proposals in an op-ed piece for the newspaper.
He argued that the CDU, CSU, and SPD must overcome internal party divisions. Writing that “We must finally transcend internal feuds and ideologies. We need solution-oriented understanding instead of identity and culture wars in the political center” the CDA leader urged a more cooperative approach.
Specifically, Radtke suggested increasing the wealth tax by three percent and removing the exemption test for inheritance tax. He stated that “the family home and the craft business must be able to be passed on to the next generation. However, this does not apply to billions in assets”.
Regarding social reforms, he questioned why eliminating a public holiday was considered taboo. While he admitted he wouldn’t receive applause for this measure as the CDA chairperson, he explained that it would be acceptable if the overall package was sound and helpful.
To promote property acquisition, Radtke proposed abolishing the tax exemption on high capital gains after ten years. Instead, he called for the introduction of a ten percent tax rate, coupled with substantial exemptions. He maintained, “This should be feasible for the Union, especially since it would make it easier for young families to create their own property”.
Furthermore, Radtke demanded greater relief for industry to maintain Germany’s basic materials sector. He asserted that “we need reliable and predictable financial relief for companies for a limited time, particularly in sectors like chemistry, steel, and aluminum, to generate growth”. For areas where transformation is capital-intensive and risky, he proposed that the state could contribute through a fund without engaging in direct operational activities.
