[ad_1]
During the general debate in the Bundestag, Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) made an urgent call to the population to persevere in the crisis of the Crown. The pandemic is an “unprecedented test” for Germany. So far, the country has fared relatively well, but with next autumn it is clear: “We are facing a difficult stage.”
Merkel points out that on Tuesday she made decisions together with the prime ministers of the federal states so that Germany can spend this time well, for example fines for incorrect information of restaurant visitors or the limitation of the number of participants in private parties when the number increases. of corona infections. But that alone is not enough, the measures must be “accepted and fulfilled” by the people.
“We have to talk to each other when the number of infections increases,” says Merkel. We are currently seeing caution waning. After half a year of pandemic, everyone longed for closeness, joy and spontaneity again. He warns: “We are currently risking everything we have achieved in recent months.” The deterioration of the situation must be taken seriously. Merkel calls on the population to continue “at a distance as an expression of care” and adhere to the rules. “Life as we knew it will return,” he promises, but now you have to be patient.
The chancellor defends the federal budget presented on Tuesday with the high level of new debt: “Of course, the federal budget is now also dedicated to dealing with the pandemic,” says Merkel. This year’s new debt and planned new debt of € 96 billion in 2021 is necessary and possible because Germany has had households with no new debt for the past six years. It’s about creating a resilient foundation for the future. But: “We want to use the experience of the pandemic here as an accelerator.”
Merkel announced that in the near future she particularly wanted to support educational institutions both to contain the coronavirus and to equip them: “Our children deserve it.”
In view of the upcoming 30th anniversary of German unity, the Chancellor says that it has been possible to significantly reduce the differences in living conditions between East and West. But more efforts are needed. Unity is a continuous process not only between East and West, but also between city and country and structurally weak and structurally strong regions, “throughout Germany”.
Weidel accuses government of excessive crown measures
The pandemic had shown in international politics that “multilateral cooperation in many areas is under pressure.” In many areas, despite understandable efforts for sovereignty, international cooperation must also be promoted. Merkel sees here “the hour of Europe”. She asks if the EU will succeed in developing a common asylum policy as a “touchstone for cohesion in Europe”.
The Chancellor also had a few words about the situation in Belarus. She condemns the behavior of the Lukashenko government and talks about the protesters. She is particularly impressed by the commitment of women in the autocratically ruled country: “I admire it and find it really impressive.”
The leader of the AfD parliamentary group, Alice Weidel, attacked the federal government in a major all-out coup. They spend “tax money with their hands full” and accumulate debt. “The Corona crisis did not bring him back to consciousness.” Weidel accuses the government of “excessive measures” in the pandemic and demands: “Stop causing panic.” In asylum policy, she accuses the government of repeating the mistakes of 2015 in “hyper-moral self-righteousness.” Germany has long since ceased to be a rich country and children and the elderly are at risk of poverty. The energy transition is a laughing stock and cannot be implemented.
FDP leader Christian Lindner calls for the epidemiological emergency in Germany to be lifted. Currently, this can no longer be justified. He criticizes the federal government for the lack of a national test strategy. “That is not a condition for a country like Germany,” Lindner said. He demands. that the Federal Republic is not only concentrating on switching from cars with internal combustion engines to cars with electric motors, but also on promoting alternative, synthetic combustion materials.
The leader of the SPD parliamentary group, Rolf Mützenich, uses his appearance for campaign publicity in his own party affair: “Olaf Scholz is the right chancellor.” He then defended the welfare state, which was demanded mainly by the SPD. The crises in other countries with less developed social systems showed that this was the right way to go. “Populists only fight the virus with slogans,” roars Mützenich, and it is unclear whether he is referring to governments within Europe or across the Atlantic, or both. And he also has a few words for people who climb the steps of the Reichstag in August: “Charlatans do not belong on the steps of the Reichstag building or in this parliament!”
The leader of the left-wing parliamentary group, Dietmar Bartsch, stresses that his party will oppose new restrictions on fundamental rights “with great reluctance” in the fight against the corona pandemic. He accuses the CDU of overcoming the crisis as “audition of Merkel,” that is, Prime Minister Markus Söder (CSU) of Bavaria and Armin Laschet of NRW, both being exchanged as possible candidates for Chancellor of the Union. Bartsch also sees the federal budget presented as an “election campaign budget.” It takes a lot when taking on new debt, but it’s not entirely clear: “Who pays the bill?”
Finance Minister Olaf Scholz (SPD) presented the federal government budget on Tuesday. The general debate is traditionally the climax of budget debates in Parliament. In today’s debate, you should already feel that a new Bundestag will be elected in about a year and that Merkel will step down as chancellor.
Finance Minister Scholz plans to fight the crisis again with high debts of almost 100 billion euros. This is necessary, on the one hand, to allow important economic stimulus programs such as bridge aid and short-time allowance to continue, and on the other hand to invest in climate protection and structural change, said the vice-rector.
Starting in 2022, Scholz wants to go back to the debt brake and get only a few new loans. Above all, the Union insists on this, and also quickly demands a fully balanced budget with a black zero.
