Kretschmer: "Traffic light" agreement lacks a positive spin

The head of the Saxon government, Michael Kretschmer (CDU), believes that the agreement reached by the "traffic light" coalition on the 2024 federal budget is inadequate. "You get the budget together, but everything becomes more expensive. This does not create a positive spin, nothing that leads to growth and confidence," Kretschmer told the German Press Agency in Dresden on Thursday, describing the coalition's actions as "muddling through". Every single aspect of the agreement could be taken out of the equation and some things could be judged as correct. But the "traffic light" did not have the big picture in mind. "Germany needs a different economic dynamic. The federal government has been pursuing the wrong economic policy for two years," said Kretschmer, citing the Supply Chain Act and the Working Hours Act, among other things, as elements that inhibit growth. "The problem will not be solved with new debt or new tax revenues. It will only get worse. This country needs more freedom to create a different economic dynamic. Politics needs trust." The CDU/CSU has often reached out to the government. The impetus should actually come from the "traffic light". "I found what Federal Minister of Agriculture Cem Özdemir (Greens) had to say about the results very encouraging: That you can't do it this way with farmers," added Kretschmer. Özdemir had expressed concerns about possible far-reaching savings in agriculture in the budget for 2024 and warned against placing a disproportionate burden on agriculture. Kretschmer also missed a decision by the coalition on migration. Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) always gave the impression that he wanted to do something about issues such as repatriation agreements. But so far, this has only turned out to be a show.