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Chancellor Scholz

Photo: Michael Kappeler / dpa

There is a dispute within the federal government about funding for defense and the welfare state.

Given the economic situation in Germany, Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) has strictly rejected social cuts and the dismantling of workers' rights.

The CDU and CSU wanted to approach pensions by raising the retirement age, others wanted to limit benefits in the event of illness and long-term care, some wanted to reduce protection against dismissal and other things.

"For me, that's out of the question, to say it very clearly," the SPD politician told the dpa news agency in Berlin.

"I rule out the possibility of a government led by me doing something like that."

Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens) had previously rejected Federal Finance Minister Christian Lindner's (FDP) demand to make savings to finance defense spending in the social sector.

In order to have sufficient resources to strengthen military capability, the Bundeswehr's special assets could be expanded instead, said Baerbock on Sunday evening in the ARD program "Report from Berlin".

Baerbock also suggested that spending on security no longer be taken into account for the debt brake in the future.

Last week, Finance Minister Lindner discussed a three-year moratorium on social spending, subsidies and other benefits.

The background to this is the federal government's commitment to NATO to achieve defense spending of at least two percent of gross domestic product (GDP) for the first time this year.

The statement was met with widespread criticism.

Baerbock: Peace, freedom and security should not become an election campaign topic

“Putting social security against the protection of freedom, I don’t know whether that’s the most sensible way,” said Baerbock.

The issues of peace, freedom and security should not be made a campaign theme.

Baerbock emphasized that the special fund was decided upon jointly between the government and the Union.

“We now have to discuss this further together.”

The chairwoman of the German Federation of Trade Unions (DGB), Yasmin Fahimi, also warned of cuts in social benefits.

The debate about social spending must be turned “downside down,” Fahimi told the “Bild” newspaper.

"Social spending in Germany is neither particularly high in international nor historical comparison - and has not grown much recently," said Fahimi.

Criticism of Fahimi's statements came from Lindner's FDP.

»The debt brake will be in place in 2024 – without any ifs or buts.

“Basically, we have to prioritize whether we want to spend more money on the defense of Germany or on the further expansion of the welfare state,” said FDP budget expert Christoph Meyer to the AFP news agency.

“A land of milk and honey where we finance everything without restrictions is an unrealistic fantasy,” the deputy chairman of the FDP parliamentary group continued.

"The DGB's constant fantasizing about emergencies is therefore nothing more than an unobjective contribution to the debate."

lpz/AFP/dpa