Federal election 2025: Steinmeier dissolves the German Bundestag

“Everything can be changed”: This is the motto of the FDP’s election program for the upcoming federal election. The designated Secretary General Marco Buschmann presented the campaign in Berlin. The focus is on strengthening the economy, improving the education system and modernizing the state: “So a significant change in terms of competitiveness, a significant change in terms of strengthening our education system, a significant change also in terms of responsibilities and working methods State concerns,” said Buschmann.

The FDP, which sees itself as an advocate for business, demands “deep and structural reforms” for a “real economic turnaround”. For them, this includes, among other things, reducing corporate taxes from the current level of around 30 to less than 25 percent. The depreciation options for companies should be noticeably improved and the solidarity surcharge should be completely abolished. The FDP wants to reduce VAT in the catering industry to seven percent.

Employees should also be relieved. The FDP wants to increase the basic allowance, up to which no income tax is due, by at least 1,000 euros. Only top earners should pay the top tax rate. “It cannot be the case that someone who is paid according to a collective agreement gets into the top tax rate,” said Buschmann.

The FDP wants to finance its ideas, among other things, through cuts in citizens’ money

The FDP also wants to give the federal government more responsibilities in education policy; The Conference of Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs (KMK) is to be replaced by a Federal Education Council made up of scientists, practitioners, parents and business representatives. According to Buschmann, the aim is to create nationwide targets in education with uniform final examinations.

Unsurprisingly, de-bureaucratization is also an important point in the FDP’s plans. The former traffic light partner advocates streamlining the state apparatus with fewer federal ministries, state secretaries and government representatives. The number of jobs in the federal administration – with the exception of the security authorities – is to be reduced noticeably.

The FDP wants to finance its ideas, among other things, through cuts in citizens’ money and through the financial disadvantage of Ukrainian refugees. The Free Democrats expect billions of dollars in additional revenue for the state treasury through “really flexible retirement.” They assume that many people would voluntarily work longer hours and thereby ensure greater productivity.

The Union, FDP and AfD claim that their expensive election promises can also be financed through savings in citizens’ money. This is a dangerous mistake, comments SZ editor Roland Preuß (SZ Plus):