DistantNews
Support us
🇩🇪 Germany /Economy & Trade

Germany’s 2027 budget plans draw opposition fire as Left calls for Merz to go

From Die Zeit · () German

Translated from German and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources Ongoing story
  • Germany’s opposition parties criticized the government’s planned borrowing in its 2027 budget draft.
  • The Left’s Dietmar Bartsch called for Chancellor Friedrich Merz to be replaced and condemned planned defense spending and overall debt.
  • The Greens and AfD also attacked the draft, citing alleged cuts, constitutional concerns and projected new borrowing of more than €200 billion.

The Left opened Germany’s 2027 budget debate by attacking the government’s borrowing plans and calling for Chancellor Friedrich Merz to be replaced. Dietmar Bartsch compared Merz with a national football coach who leaves after a World Cup.

“How long can a chancellor be a burden for citizens, companies and his own party?” Bartsch asked in parliament. He said the Left did not oppose investment, but called one trillion euros in debt “simply madness.” He focused particular criticism on increased defense spending, saying there was no money for relief while the government planned €600 billion for what he described as excessive rearmament of the Bundeswehr.

How long can a chancellor be a burden for citizens, companies and his own party?

· Dietmar BartschThe Left lawmaker questioned Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s continued leadership during the budget debate.

Bartsch also called for higher taxes on large fortunes and substantial inheritances to help finance government responsibilities. The Greens criticized planned cuts affecting families, single parents and housing benefits.

Green budget spokesman Schäfer called Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil’s draft unconstitutional, arguing that the government had distorted its calculation of investment. He said the coalition was investing too little through the core budget and had presented a makeshift set of figures that was creating widespread uncertainty.

The Left is not opposed to investment, but one trillion euros in debt is simply madness.

· Dietmar BartschBartsch criticized the government’s borrowing plans and defense spending.

The Greens have also repeatedly criticized the special fund for infrastructure and climate protection, which they supported last year. They say the fund has not generated enough additional investment and is instead being used to fill holes in the core budget and finance election promises, including an expansion of the mothers’ pension.

AfD lawmaker Michael Espendiller demanded much tighter limits on state spending. “Saving in this budget happens in only one place: with the citizens,” he said, criticizing planned new borrowing of more than €200 billion in 2027.

Saving in this budget happens in only one place: with the citizens.

· Michael EspendillerThe AfD lawmaker attacked the government’s spending and borrowing plans.
About this summary

Originally published by Die Zeit in German. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

More Stories

From Our Blog