Clash over budget: Coalition postpones decision on supplementary budget for 2024

Crisis meeting with mediation by Scholz

Dispute over funding for climate protection and relief packages

Dispute over supplementary budget: Federal government postpones decision - The coalition is postponing a decision on the supplementary budget for 2024 due to a dispute over funding for climate protection and relief packages. This was decided by the traffic light coalition on Wednesday evening after a crisis meeting with mediation by Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD), as announced by government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit. Scholz had invited the leaders of the SPD, Greens and FDP to the Chancellery for talks.

According to the information, there is a dispute, especially over the funding of a planned climate protection fund. According to the Greens and the FDP, the fund should have a volume of at least 30 billion euros. However, Finance Minister Christian Lindner (FDP) rejects this. The head of the FDP had recently threatened to block the supplementary budget if too much money was earmarked for climate protection.

According to the information, the coalition partners also disagree on the duration of the planned relief packages for citizens and businesses in view of the energy crisis. The Greens and the SPD are calling for the extension of the tank discount and the 9-euro ticket beyond the end of August, while the FDP rejects this. Nevertheless, another meeting is to take place on Thursday in order to find a solution, as government spokesman Hebestreit announced.