“Really not easy with traffic lights”
Esken makes Juso hope for a tax on the wealthy
10/28/2022, 9:46 p.m
At the federal congress of the Jusos, the party leader has to listen to a lot of displeasure about the role of the SPD in the traffic light. Esken promises that she wants to put pressure on her to get a rich levy or a supplement to gas price support.
SPD leader Saskia Esken has reiterated her call for a wealth tax for the rich in view of the energy crisis. The cohesion in Germany is seriously threatened by inflation and the predicted recession, she said in the evening at the national congress of Jusos in Oberhausen. The solution to this can only be an effective state that relieves the burden on citizens and at the same time gets to the root of the problem of high prices. “In order to ensure that this state is able to act, to finance the crisis management as well as our investments in the future and cohesion, we need a solidarity tax on the wealth of the super-rich,” emphasized Esken.
The SPD leader promised to continue to pursue the issue in the traffic light coalition, but at the same time conceded that cooperation there was difficult. “Three very different parties, as you know, got together. It’s really not always easy,” she said. In view of the Russian war in Ukraine and the effects on Germany, hardly any other coalition had such a difficult start as this one.
“We are Olaf’s party”
After Esken’s speech, the Jusos criticized the role of the SPD in the coalition. She does not ask the question of justice, which is important for the Social Democrats, loud enough. Philipp Türmer from the Federal Executive of the SPD youth demanded of Esken and her co-party leader Lars Klingbeil: “Yes, Olaf is our chancellor, but don’t forget that you are his party leaders and we are his party.” The Jusos called for improvements to the gas price brake and another one-off payment for gas customers at the beginning of the year. So far, such a payment is scheduled for December. A price brake could then take effect in March or April.
Esken dampened expectations. Although she said: “We will still have to look for bridging solutions before implementation.” But it is more important that the price brake works for everyone. “We mustn’t allow any injustices to arise because we’re now accelerating and stumbling,” warned Esken.