The CDU’s social wing expressed scepticism about the black‑red coalition’s plans to raise the value‑added tax. Dennis Radtke, chairman of the Christian Democratic Employees’ Union (CDA), told the “Tagespiegel” (Wednesday edition) that a VAT hike would already be “a hard nut to crack”. “You can’t simply wash that away socially” he said.
At the same time, Radtke argued that if the tax increase could be offset by a substantial reduction in payroll costs, the package might still be “reasonable in the long run”. He stressed that, ultimately, the bill must work out for both employees and businesses.
Radtke praised discussions within the Union and SPD that call for further lowering the reduced VAT rate on food. “It’s right to focus on food prices” he said. “High energy and mobility costs ultimately push up the price of butter, bread, and many other staples. This burden hits people unevenly, hitting hard especially those who already have no room to spare”.
