Friday January 14, 2022
Liberals use red pencils
FDP wants to save jobs in the federal government
The FDP wants to keep new borrowing within limits. For this, savings should be made in various corners. The Liberals are considering, among other things, “jobs in the federal government that have become superfluous”.
In order to protect the state coffers, which are particularly strained in times of the pandemic, the FDP wants to cut jobs in the government apparatus, among other things. “There was an increase in staff at various points in the federal government, some of which was unnecessary. We will be eliminating redundant positions in the federal government,” said FDP parliamentary group leader Christian Dürr of the “Rheinische Post”.
In mid-December, the traffic light coalition had applied to the budget committee for 176 new jobs, and a further 148 jobs in the ministries and in the chancellery are to be included in the supplementary budget for 2021, according to a list of personnel from the budget working groups of the SPD, Greens and FDP. Around every third position is intended for the newly founded Ministry for Housing, Building and Urban Development.
The FDP also wants to save elsewhere. “We also look at whether support programs are still effective,” announced Dürr. “The Baukindergeld, for example, only led to deadweight effects, which is why no additional house was built.” Basically, it should be checked which programs do not achieve their goals – and then acted accordingly.
“We turn every euro and every cent three times over, even in a pandemic,” emphasized Dürr. “The aim is that the new debt in 2022 will not be in the three-digit billion range. On the one hand, we are counting on higher tax revenues. On the other hand, we are scouring the budget for savings opportunities.”
The debt brake should be observed again in 2023, said the former financial politician, “that remains the unshakeable goal”. Dürr’s demand: “We have to strengthen the economy in such a way that the tax revenue will soon balance the budget again.”