DW :
" Despite a huge setback in Germany’s federal election, the Green Party has secured a victory to the tune of billions of euros. The future governing coalition needed the Greens to realize a key political goal.
The next government will be beholden to the debt brake again - and if the CDU happens to be in the opposition, they will block any and all investment to make the governing parties look worse.
Although I expect the AfD to form a blocking minority for constitutional amendments anyway. Maybe we’ll get the first CDU + AfD government by 2029 - wouldn’t be the first time that German conservatives allow nazis to rise to power.
In four years, I suspect nearly all money will be allocated and either the next government manages to make another constitutional amendment or they will lack founding again.
500 billion is not a lot for 30 years of infrastructure decay.
Yes but the next budget can then be done by a simple 51% majority which is the regular coalition. This dept brake change needed a 2/3 vote and lays the foundation for easier budgets in the future.
Are you sure? From everything I read, there is only a 500 billion credit for infrastructure and an exception for defense spending above 1%.
If the 500 billion credit is largely spent and/or designated by 2029, the next government may not be able to pass a budget without a lot of cuts. Especially because retirement spending will explode by then, taking away money from everything else.
You are right, the off-budget fund (Sondervermögen) for infrastructure also needed a 2/3 vote. I was under the impression that the 500 billion credit and how it will be spend was just part of the negotiations for the dept brake reform. My bad.
And Merz and Scholz got their 2/3 majorities via concession of 100 B for environmental measures for the Greens.
DW called it humorously, " a Defence Package with a Green Stamp".
It is not „for the greens“ it is for Germany. The environment does not have any political interest.
DW : " Despite a huge setback in Germany’s federal election, the Green Party has secured a victory to the tune of billions of euros. The future governing coalition needed the Greens to realize a key political goal.
So win win?
For 4 years.
The next government will be beholden to the debt brake again - and if the CDU happens to be in the opposition, they will block any and all investment to make the governing parties look worse.
Although I expect the AfD to form a blocking minority for constitutional amendments anyway. Maybe we’ll get the first CDU + AfD government by 2029 - wouldn’t be the first time that German conservatives allow nazis to rise to power.
Why would this only last 4 years? It’s a constitution change. It does not magically undo itself after a certain time.
The budget, I mean.
In four years, I suspect nearly all money will be allocated and either the next government manages to make another constitutional amendment or they will lack founding again.
500 billion is not a lot for 30 years of infrastructure decay.
Yes but the next budget can then be done by a simple 51% majority which is the regular coalition. This dept brake change needed a 2/3 vote and lays the foundation for easier budgets in the future.
Are you sure? From everything I read, there is only a 500 billion credit for infrastructure and an exception for defense spending above 1%.
If the 500 billion credit is largely spent and/or designated by 2029, the next government may not be able to pass a budget without a lot of cuts. Especially because retirement spending will explode by then, taking away money from everything else.
You are right, the off-budget fund (Sondervermögen) for infrastructure also needed a 2/3 vote. I was under the impression that the 500 billion credit and how it will be spend was just part of the negotiations for the dept brake reform. My bad.
The Greens had a strong position in the negotiations. To me it seems they got a good deal.