“Falling over would be unforgivable”
Lindner receives debt brake appeal from FDP
December 10, 2023, 5:20 a.m
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Another round of negotiations in the federal government’s budget dispute is pending in the Chancellery. Shortly before, traffic light-critical party colleagues of Christian Lindner agreed with the finance minister not to give in on the issue of the debt brake. If necessary, Lindner should leave the coalition.
Shortly before crucial negotiations on the 2024 budget, traffic light opponents in the FDP party leader Christian Lindner are warning against giving in to Chancellor Olaf Scholz in the debt brake debate. “Complying with the debt brake for the 2024 budget is not negotiable. Falling over as an FDP would be unforgivable,” said the initiator of the member survey in the FPD, Matthias Nölke, the star. Nölke called on party leader Lindner to leave the coalition if necessary. “If the quixotic decisions of the SPD party conference lead to a break in this unspeakable traffic light coalition because the FDP does not give in, this would certainly be honored by our voters.”
The background to Nölke’s intervention are statements made by Scholz at the SPD party conference in Berlin. During his appearance on Saturday, the Chancellor rejected any cuts to the welfare state. At the same time, leading Social Democrats had called for the debt brake to be suspended again in 2024. This brings the budget dispute in the federal government to a head on the question of whether the FDP is prepared to declare a budget emergency in the Bundestag. Lindner had previously rejected an exception to the debt brake, but had not completely ruled it out. The Social Democrats are pushing for the exception to be made, citing the consequences of Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine.
This Sunday, Scholz, Lindner and Green Party Vice-Chancellor Robert Habeck will meet for the next round of negotiations in the Chancellery. According to stern information, the SPD leadership expects the talks to be concluded next week and finally discussed by a coalition committee.