SPD Chancellor candidate Olaf Scholz wants to take tax relief from the majority of the German population, but has announced tax increases for top earners.

“I think it's right when someone with such a high income as me pays more taxes,” said Scholz in a newspaper interview.

Singles should therefore only pay the top tax rate targeted by their party if their gross annual income exceeds 100,000 euros.

For married people, the “future top rate” above 200,000 euros should apply.

Overall, the SPD wants to relieve 96 percent of taxpayers through its tax concept, according to Scholz.

The party advertises in the federal election campaign to raise the top tax rate to 45 percent.

In order to relieve people with low and middle incomes, the current top income tax rate of 42 percent should also apply “much later”.

"Guarantee" for a stable pension level

According to Scholz's calculations, almost all taxpayers would be relieved in this way, only top earners - like himself - would have to pay more: "With an average income, the tax savings are 75 to 150 euros a year." Those who earn 3000 euros gross a month save Year about 75 euros in taxes, said the Federal Minister of Finance in the interview that appeared in Bild am Sonntag.

“96 percent of taxpayers will be relieved.

For the top four percent of top earners, that's a million or so, it will be a bit more expensive. "

The minister gave his own annual gross salary at 200,000 euros and declared: "With my salary you are rich in Germany."

Scholz also gave a guarantee for a stable pension level of 48 percent.

"Every contributor should be prepared for a CDU / CSU government that the pension level will fall," he said. "That will not happen with me. I guarantee a stable pension level of 48 percent." Share reservations about financing in the coming decades he doesn't. "If there are a lot of jobs with decent wages in Germany, the pension is secure. That's what it's all about."

Scholz sharply criticized the tax concept of the CDU and CSU.

In the fight against the Corona crisis, the state had incurred more than 400 billion debts, which would have to be repaid piece by piece from 2023.

“And in this situation, CDU / CSU want to massively reduce taxes for people with top incomes and companies with high profits,” criticized Scholz.

The plans of Union Chancellor candidate Armin Laschet (CDU) cost "at least 30 billion euros a year - without any counter-financing," Scholz told the newspaper. The calculation only works, "if he cuts benefits massively, for example in the case of retirement, and foregoes important investments". Both would be "wrong for the country".