Haushaltsstreit: Schuldenbremse, Steuern oder Ausgaben priorisieren?

Abstract

Abstract Fiscal policy has increasingly become a field of conflict within the federal government in recent months. While the coalition agreement provides for compliance with the debt brake, investments in the energy turnaround, and further social and family policy reforms (such as basic child security, care reform, energy turnaround, infrastructure investments), the financial policy leeway is being reduced as a result of the energy price crisis and the interest rate turnaround. Thus, the Finance Minister’s plans point to drastically increasing expenditures for debt service. Since the debt brake aims at limiting government deficit, this directly reduces the leeway for primary expenditure if one refrains from tax increases and the debt brake takes effect in 2024. It remains to be seen whether the coalition’s previously planned projects can be implemented or whether new priorities should be set.