Red pencil or new debt? The 60 billion hole and its consequences
MDR “Fakt Ist” (political talk show) about the ruling of the constitutional court and the consequences with Silke Uebelmesser and others.
Ausschnitt Fakt Ist
Published:
There is a gaping hole of 60 billion euros in the state coffers. This means that many projects of the “traffic-light” coalition are uncertain, especially in eastern Germany. "Fakt ist!" asks how citizens in this country are affected.
The state budget violates the Basic Law, says the Federal Constitutional Court. For a good two weeks now, it has been a case of "cut and save" or "get rid of the black zero". What is the right way? There are many suggestions as to how the federal government should find its way out of the 60 billion euro hole: From cutting citizens' benefits and abolishing price caps and economic stimulus programs to new taxes for the wealthy and even more government debt.
The electricity and gas price brakes have already been sacrificed and will expire at the end of the year. What comes next? Is it justified to cut social spending in order to be able to invest in infrastructure and so-called "future technologies"?