Sunday 17th October 2021
“One-time exception”
Lindner defends minimum wage increase
The joint exploratory paper of the SPD, Greens and FDP contains many concerns of the Liberals. But it also contains an increase in the minimum wage – against the will of the employer. Still justifiable, FDP leader Lindner swears his party leadership.
FDP leader Christian Lindner has campaigned for a traffic light alliance before the decision of the party committees on coalition negotiations. “The exploratory paper contains many concerns of the FDP,” said Lindner of “Bild am Sonntag”. Seldom has there been a greater opportunity to modernize society, the economy and the state. “We don’t want to let this chance slip by.” Lindner defended the planned increase in the minimum wage to twelve euros, which is a core concern of the SPD, as a “one-time exception”.
The SPD executive committee voted unanimously for joint negotiations on Friday. In the case of the Greens, a small party conference is to decide this afternoon. The FDP top will decide on Monday.
The paper presented on Friday contains FDP concerns “from solid finances to investments in clean technologies and digitization, better education and new opportunities for advancement to social liberalism,” continues Lindner of “Bild am Sonntag”. He also emphasized that the discussions were “professional, discreet and fair”.
“Opinion of the majority of the population”
The FDP chairman defended the increase in the minimum wage to twelve euros: “The one-time exception is justifiable and corresponds to the opinion of the majority of the population.”
The employers had criticized this step as “extremely dangerous” and “serious interference with collective bargaining”. Actually, the minimum wage commission set up by the federal government, in which employer and trade union representatives sit, has the task of making recommendations on the level of the minimum wage.
With a view to the points enforced by his party, Lindner said: “I was pleased that the industry welcomed the super write-offs we proposed for investments in digital and climate protection.” That strengthens economic growth and employment.
Regarding the respect shown by the CDU politicians Armin Laschet and Friedrich Merz for the exploratory paper, Lindner said: “Your statements show that Germany is being governed from the center.”