Berlin. In the tug of war around the 2025 budget, the Minister of Finance calls on several ministries to make savings. He is particularly targeting the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the development department.
Federal Finance Minister Christian Lindner (FDP) called on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Development in the budget dispute to review the meaning and accuracy of their expenditure policy. Both would have to ask themselves: “Are we really improving life chances with our tax money or do the projects serve German interests,” Lindner told the Bavarian media group’s newspapers.
“In international politics, strict security and support for Ukraine must be a priority. “This is about peace and freedom for Germany,” said the Finance Minister. So when it comes to money for other parts of the world, we need to talk about goals and scope. “From the CSU Development Minister (Gerd) Müller, there are projects like the famous cycle paths in Peru that need to be questioned.”
The traffic light coalition faces difficult negotiations over the 2025 federal budget. Lindner has called on ministries to save money, but several departments are demanding more money, including Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens) and Development Minister Svenja Schulze (SPD). . On Tuesday, Lindner briefly interrupted the cabinet discussion on the second pension package that had already been negotiated. According to media reports, Labor Minister Hubertus Heil (SPD) made particularly high demands in the negotiations on the 2025 budget.
Lindner: Not everyone recognized the economic realities
“Continuing as usual was not possible for me. The record for the 2025 federal budget did not give the impression that everyone had recognized the economic reality,” Lindner said. “That’s why I first had to check with the Federal Chancellor and the Minister for the Economy whether we were still on the same page.” When questioned, the FDP leader assured that he “never” threatened to dismember the coalition. “But it is clear to everyone that an agreement on a budget and an economic recovery are necessary so that projects like the pension package can finally find a majority in the Bundestag.”
Lindner declined to comment on the total value of the claims. “I can’t give an official number because I don’t accept multiple demands as a serious negotiating position. I can only say that the speculation that has circulated in the media so far underestimates the amount.” More recently, there was a gap in the double-digit billion range in plans for the 2025 budget, between 15 and 30 billion euros; were circulating.
Lindner once again rejected Defense Minister Boris Pistorius’ (SPD) demand to exclude defense spending and parts of crisis preparedness from the debt brake. By continuing this debate, Pistorius will “shake again the basic consensus of the coalition”, said Lindner. He also had to oppose the matter. “We cannot finance national and alliance defense with credit. The debt level and interest burden would increase.”
© dpa-infocom, dpa:240511-99-992189/3 (dpa)