Own election program: CSU insists on many tax cuts

The CSU wants to move into the federal election campaign with billions in demands for tax cuts and relief.

In the draft of its program, which was sent to the party leadership late on Thursday evening in preparation for the retreat of the party executive in Gmund am Tegernsee, the CSU lined up a large number of demands that are intended to relieve citizens and companies.

Another focus is climate protection.

The draft has been submitted to the German Press Agency.

"Germany is facing a change of epoch," it says right at the beginning of the paper that the board of directors will finally adopt on Friday.

With a view to the lessons from the pandemic, the CSU emphasizes: “We can only leave the crisis behind with renewed vigor.

We want new growth instead of more taxes, more government and more debt. "

Less VAT for gastronomy and regional food

The 18-page program with the title “The CSU program.

Good for Bavaria.

Good for Germany. ”Not only the demand for a permanent reduction in VAT for the catering industry to seven percent beyond the Corona crisis.

"This will relieve our gastronomy after the corona pandemic and strengthen our classic Bavarian pub culture."

The CSU also names the permanent reduction in VAT for regional food as a political goal for the coming election period.

A “separate, reduced VAT rate” is to apply to domestic products in the future.

The exact amount is not mentioned in the program.

A reduced VAT rate of seven percent currently applies to most groceries.

Income tax relief

Furthermore, the CSU calls for the commuter flat rate to be linked to the annual average price for carbon dioxide (CO2): “The guideline should be: 10 cents more at the pump will make 1 cent more flat rate for commuters in the future,” says the draft.

In addition, the CSU formulates the already known demands for further tax relief in its election program: including the complete abolition of the solos, the lowering of corporate taxes, the relief of families and single parents, for example through a new "child splitting", the existing spouse splitting at the Supplement tax.

According to the wishes of the CSU, the parental allowance is to be extended to up to 16 months; "This is how we relieve parents and give them more financial leeway," it says in support of the rationale. The CSU is demanding a four billion euro investment program from the federal government to expand the range of day-care facilities. The federal participation in the costs of childcare amounting to two billion euros is also to be continued over the long term beyond 2022.

"Our CSU program follows the basic conviction: What is good for Bavaria is also good for Germany," said General Secretary Markus Blume of the dpa.

"The CSU program is the promise that we will turn Bavarian interests into national political convictions." The CSU stands for tax relief, pension fairness and the unification of economy and ecology.

Other tax benefits

Furthermore, the CSU relies on a doubling of the craftsman bonus in the election program.

The tax bonus should therefore be fixed at 2400 euros in order to push modernization and climate-protecting renovations.

In addition, the construction of solar systems is also to be given greater support for businesspeople through tax advantages.

The CSU explicitly calls for the reintroduction of the so-called declining balance depreciation for rental housing construction.

As a contribution to climate protection, the CSU is also calling for a special federal program for the reactivation of selected old railway lines in Bavaria and Germany, and if necessary also to convert them into cycle superhighways or lanes for autonomous buses.

In addition, the federal government is calling for a further special program for the barrier-free expansion of train stations.

A climate bonus for private households is also intended to create more incentives for climate protection.

Purchases of climate-friendly refrigerators or washing machines should become more attractive for consumers.

In general, the aim must be to combine climate protection and economic growth in such a way that deindustrialization of the country is prevented.