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Berlin (dpa) - According to the head of the Chancellery, Helge Braun, the debt brake cannot be adhered to in the coming years - the CDU politician is calling for a change to the constitution.
"In order to have a quick recovery and a reliable framework for investments, it makes sense to stabilize the social security contributions by the end of 2023 and also to forego tax increases," wrote the CDU politician in a guest article for the "Handelsblatt" (Tuesday).
Such a decision to recover the economy would place considerable burdens on the federal budget.
"Specifically: the debt brake will not be adhered to in the coming years, even with otherwise strict spending discipline."
In Germany, it is currently the case that the federal government is only allowed to take out new loans to a limited extent, namely a maximum of 0.35 percent of the gross domestic product.
This rule was suspended last year due to the corona crisis.
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Braun spoke out against "annual individual decisions" with a view to a possible deviation from the debt rule.
It is completely unclear how long the pandemic could be a justifying circumstance.
"That is why it makes sense to combine a recovery strategy for the economy in Germany with an amendment to the Basic Law, which for the coming years provides a reliable degressive corridor for new borrowing and a clear date for the return to compliance with the debt rule."
FDP leader Christian Lindner strongly contradicts Braun.
"The position of the head of the Chancellery has the character of a financial policy capitulation," Lindner told the "Handelsblatt".
The CDU is approaching the planned budget and financial policy "very specifically the debt policy demanded by the Greens".
In the long term, the pandemic for public finances is "no more ruinous than the expansion of subsidies and the neglect of competitiveness since 2013".
In the guest contribution, the head of the Chancellery emphasized that in order for Germany to be able to build on the economic success of recent years, the reliable framework conditions for companies would have to be updated.
"This includes foregoing tax increases as well as limiting social security contributions to a maximum of 40 percent of gross wages."
In view of the "enormously high burdens on the social security funds in the corona pandemic", this is not easy to implement.
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Now is the right time for politics and collective bargaining partners to develop a joint strategy "how Germany can recover from this crisis quickly and sustainably," wrote Braun in the guest article.
"Because this crisis will also produce winners and losers among the national economies."
© dpa-infocom, dpa: 210126-99-170920 / 3
Commentary by Helge Braun