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The traffic lights could soon rule Germany – if they agree on the tax issue. A green state minister has now put together a compromise package.
Berlin – The denials about a definitive end to Jamaica have recently become thinner – and it is also not very clear with which Union politician the FDP and the Greens should negotiate an alliance at all. So the signs point to a “traffic light”. The only question that remains unanswered is the not insignificant question of how the partners, who are so differently poled, should come together in terms of content.
Just for the core topic of taxes and finances, however, a Green has now publicly submitted a proposal. Possibly a first hint of where the journey under red-green-yellow could go.
Traffic light explorations: Grüner Bayaz brings first tax proposal – with argumentation aid for the FDP
Danyal Bayaz, the green finance minister of Baden-Württemberg, spoke in a conversation with the world at least conciliatory. “In the crisis there can be no tax increases on a broad front, that is clear,” he explained, for example – the Greens were also interested in renewed momentum in the economy. The Green also explicitly refrained from drawing red lines on the subject of taxes. Neither party will be able to “enforce all of their tax policy ideas”. He also indicated that this will also apply to the FDP: He referred to the need to repay the corona debts.
Bayaz also named specific compromise proposals. He thinks it is justifiable to “increase the top tax rate for incomes from 100,000 euros from 42 percent to 45 percent”. A minister would then pay around 2,000 euros more in taxes per year, he calculated. Such an amount overtaxed “nobody” in his salary class. SPD chancellor candidate Olaf Scholz had argued similarly in the TV trialles.
Bayaz would like to give up the remaining solidarity surcharge for top earners – just like the FDP – also out of fear of a judgment by the Federal Constitutional Court. But he would like to “save” the income: With a higher top tax rate and a simultaneous increase in the basic tax allowance. The Green also provided the argumentation for the Liberals in the interview: “As a result, the burden on small and medium incomes would be relieved, the solidarity surcharge would be omitted for high incomes, but a little more taxes would be due” – sounds almost like a zero-sum game. The FDP has repeatedly spoken out vehemently against tax increases.
Greens and FDP in the traffic light: No wealth tax and Soli-Aus – BaWü Minister Bayaz presents proposal
Bayaz would also like to sacrifice wealth tax from the Baden-Württemberg Green leadership, which is considered conservative. Instead of entering into a large collection effort, he would prefer an inheritance tax reform – in the form of a lower but uniform “flat tax on all inheritances”. In other points, such as additional elements to the heavily tax-subsidized statutory pension, the FDP and the Greens were not far apart anyway, he said.
In the end, of course, the SPD as the chancellor’s party would have to agree to the plans. But that does not seem to be ruled out: Despite his own election manifesto, Olaf Scholz is not a great friend of the wealth tax anyway. It would be one of many necessary compromises on the way to a government alliance.
The husband of the Bavarian Green parliamentary group leader Katharina Schulze gave way to the question of whether his plan was the same as the position of the explorers in Berlin world however, anyway: “I hold back on advice from Stuttgart.” It is entirely possible, however, that the suggestions will arrive as good advice for the explorations. (fn)