The German government is at a breaking point over a 60 billion euro ($65.3 billion) hole in its budget. That’s because the Constitutional Court ruled a financial maneuver on climate mitigation policies illegal.
Whether for more efficient heating, expanded rail, or subsidizing energy costs, virtually none of the climate-friendly projects the government had envisioned can be funded as currently planned.
In his reaction to the ruling, Party Leader Lars Klingbeil stopped short of explicitly demanding tax hikes.
“We know that right-wing parties in particular are constantly mobilizing people’s social concerns and fears,” she told public broadcaster ZDF.
With the debt brake staying in place and tax hikes likely doomed to fail against the resistance of the FDP and opposition CDU-CSU, the only option remaining is tight-fisted austerity.
If the Greens’ core issue, climate change mitigation, loses its financial backing, the party could soon be asking what point there is in staying in the coalition.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz attempted to put on a brave face telling the parliament, the Bundestag “am convinced that the governing coalition will succeed in making all the right suggestions.”
The original article contains 887 words, the summary contains 150 words. Saved 83%. I’m a bot and I’m open source!
This is the best summary I could come up with:
Whether for more efficient heating, expanded rail, or subsidizing energy costs, virtually none of the climate-friendly projects the government had envisioned can be funded as currently planned.
In his reaction to the ruling, Party Leader Lars Klingbeil stopped short of explicitly demanding tax hikes.
“We know that right-wing parties in particular are constantly mobilizing people’s social concerns and fears,” she told public broadcaster ZDF.
With the debt brake staying in place and tax hikes likely doomed to fail against the resistance of the FDP and opposition CDU-CSU, the only option remaining is tight-fisted austerity.
If the Greens’ core issue, climate change mitigation, loses its financial backing, the party could soon be asking what point there is in staying in the coalition.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz attempted to put on a brave face telling the parliament, the Bundestag “am convinced that the governing coalition will succeed in making all the right suggestions.”
The original article contains 887 words, the summary contains 150 words. Saved 83%. I’m a bot and I’m open source!