Enlarge image
Federal Finance Minister Lindner: “We can get there”
Photo: Michael Kappeler / dpa
Federal Finance Minister Christian Lindner is calling on Germans to rethink their attitude to work. In the ARD program "Caren Miosga", he said that citizens' motivation to work is important for the development of the economy. You have to “make people want to work overtime,” said Lindner. A “mentality reform” may also be necessary because work does not just fulfill a financial function. “Work is also about creating meaning, it structures everyday life.”
In recent weeks, the FDP leader has repeatedly publicly considered tax relief for overtime. “We often have the question in professional life that people decide whether, given their marginal tax rate, overtime, paid work, is actually worth it or not, leisure time could then be more attractive,” said Lindner at an appearance in mid-March. “We can get there, we can think about measures.”
In addition to work motivation, Lindner also addressed the discussion about a possible relaxation of the debt brake. He now sees this more as a theoretical question. Lindner also referred to current figures from the Climate and Transformation Fund. Of the 36 billion euros earmarked for this fund, only 21 billion euros have been paid out so far. Lindner also attributes this fact to the lack of skilled workers.
mike