“Fiscal catastrophe”
Scholz clearly does not see civil servants in pension insurance
May 11, 2024, 9:10 p.m
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The federal government is facing difficult discussions on the budget for next year. According to Chancellor Scholz, everything should be bagged by the beginning of July. He also comments on possible victims of pensioners – and how he feels about the inclusion of civil servants in pension insurance.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz has promised an agreement on the 2025 federal budget for July and has ruled out cuts at the expense of pensioners. “Budget will keep us busy now,” said SPD politician Scholz at the “RND on Site” stage talk organized by the Germany editorial network in Postdam. “You could read in January and February that things are starting now and the budget will be in place at the beginning of July,” said Scholz and added: “That’s certain, I think.”
Social cohesion should not be questioned, said the Chancellor. The discussion about raising the retirement age is “absurd”. That is not the right way to restructure a household. “That won’t help at all.” Scholz continued: “This shouldn’t happen at the expense of pensioners and those who benefit from the fact that we have a functioning welfare state that protects the entire middle class in Germany.” Scholz did not want to answer which area should be cut instead. The Chancellor said he would not hold internal debates publicly.
Scholz was very negative about the inclusion of civil servants in pension insurance. “Since that would be a huge adjustment period, because everyone has demands, I think there are a lot of question marks surrounding the question of what one would gain financially. You could say: That would be a financial and fiscal catastrophe for many decades. ” You can discuss any regulation, said Scholz. “But there are a few principles of the professional civil service that could only be removed if they were deleted from the constitution. That is not so easy.” The professional civil service is part of German traditions and plays a decisive role in the low corruption rate in Germany, said Scholz.