Kretschmer in favor of special funds and aid for municipalities

Saxony's Minister President Michael Kretschmer (CDU) has spoken out in favor of changes to the federal debt brake - but without fundamentally questioning it. In the event of a natural disaster, for example, it should be possible to avoid having to reassess the emergency situation every year as a condition for taking on debt, he told the German Press Agency. We should move away from this annuality principle.

However, the federal and state governments should definitely stick to the debt brake. "A solution to the debt brake would be like going shopping hungry. Then all the dams would be broken," said the head of government.

The situation is different with the creation of a special fund, such as for the Bundeswehr. In exceptional cases, decisions on such strategic investments should be made with a two-thirds majority of the Bundestag. Kretschmer cited an investment package for infrastructure and education as examples. Investments could then be made reliably over several years.

Kretschmer was pessimistic about the current situation. Germany is currently experiencing an economic downturn, which is accompanied by rising energy prices and an increase in the CO2 tax. "We are facing a situation in which we lack the strength for investment and fundamental reforms."

In contrast, social costs are constantly rising and placing a burden on local authorities, said Kretschmer. "The municipalities' budgets are falling apart because the federal government is constantly raising standards and social spending is rising as a result." According to Kretschmer, social spending in the district of Bautzen, for example, is currently higher than it was at a time of 25 percent unemployment with a significantly higher population in this region.

As it affects federal benefit laws, the federal government must also contribute more to funding and lower standards. Among other things, Kretschmer called for a waiver of the increase in the citizens' allowance and greater federal involvement in the costs of integration assistance and care assistance. The municipal family must be financially relieved.

Kretschmer believes that the Union's appeal to the Federal Constitutional Court against the budget policy of the "traffic light" coalition is correct. The federal government had gone overboard with its reallocation of funds. "It was audacious to want to use such a sum retrospectively for a purpose other than the intended one. The reaction of the Federal Constitutional Court was logical." Saxony's Minister President believes that it is a good thing if limits are set for politics in this way.