Bundeskanzler Friedrich Merz (CDU) rejected another proposal to raise taxes during the Union faction’s meeting on Tuesday. “Naturally we agreed in the coalition agreement that we would do something tax‑politically” the CDU chair said in a quote the “Rheinische Post” (Wednesday edition) reported, citing participants. “But it must come with relief, not a burden”.
Merz added that this had been part of the arrangement. “I’m looking forward to the proposals from the federal finance minister. The income groups he mentions are today the least affected by income tax” he told attendees. “There isn’t much left to relieve in that area”. However, he noted that more could be done for these groups through welfare contributions.
He said the coalition’s core decisions now have to be made between Easter and the summer holidays. “When the year is over, we’ll have gone halfway through the term” he explained. Experience shows, Merz added, “in the second half of the term you don’t get much done”.
