Johannes Winkel, the chairman of the Young Union (Christian Democratic Union), publicly supported Federal Minister for Economic Affairs, Katherina Reiche (CDU), during a coalition dispute involving the Federal Minister of Finance, Lars Klingbeil (SPD), and Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU), who is currently at odds with Reiche. Winkel stated to the “Bild-Zeitung” that, “Katherina Reiche is the voice of the social market economy in the federal government, and her course deserves every support”. He then criticized Klingbeil’s proposal for a “super-profit tax” questioning it because Klingbeil failed to define the difference between an allowable profit and a super-profit subject to taxation. Winkel also questioned the scope, asking, “Which industries would a super-profit tax apply to? Would Klingbeil consequently also compensate for significant losses with government tax money?” Furthermore, Winkel remarked that “what the deputy chancellor is suggesting is a political act of self-sabotage. Lars Klingbeil has earned public criticism by misusing the special funds, not Katherina Reiche”.
Politics
