For the elections in Saarland, SPD Social Minister Heil has a nice surprise in store for the elderly.

The increase in statutory pensions in July was again more than expected at more than 6 percent in the east and more than 5 percent in the west, although the traffic light government is now catching up on the dampening that was missing during the pandemic.

Heil's officials have obviously gotten something out of the complicated pension formula and the underlying wage statistics in order to compensate for the dampening enforced by the FDP against the SPD.

For the time being, 21 million pensioners have less to worry about high inflation than most employees, whose real wages are falling rapidly.

Heils pension miracle amazed.

Part of the explanation is likely to be the currently very comfortable short-time allowance rule, which stabilizes wages.

Formally, the high plus is probably permissible.

However, as in the days of the grand coalition, the minister is putting more strain on the pension fund than necessary – and than would be advisable in view of demographics and the new major crisis.

Instead of conserving reserves in view of the incalculable consequences of the Ukraine war, Heil is also planning billions in benefits for disabled pensioners.

They will soon all enjoy an improvement that has so far only been available to a few because of the enormous costs.

Heil's pension course confirms that the traffic light coalition no longer cares about a few billion euros more in debt here, there and there.

Even FDP Finance Minister Lindner promotes the impression with immature energy relief promises, for which his budget draft for 2022 does not even contain estimated values.

The Union speaks of a "budget puzzle": a mild expression for a set of figures that banishes the state tasks caused by the pandemic, climate and Putin's war into credit-financed special pots - and thus pretends that the traffic light does not have to cut back on the old projects agreed in autumn do.

SPD leader Klingbeil assures that they do not want to do without "anything".

Statements like these raise concerns that the government would rather ruin the finances than rearrange its priorities.