PRESS STATEMENT Budget Agreement: A piecemeal compromise does not solve the fundamental problem of the debt brake

Christiane Benner, President of IG Metall:“The traffic-light coalition has demonstrated its ability to act in an extremely difficult situation. Workers expect security amid change. Companies need planning certainty and a reliable framework for the urgently needed investments in the green transformation of industry. In that respect, the agreement is, for now, good news.  

We criticize the fact that the coalition was unable to agree on the obvious solution: suspending the debt brake. With the cuts now planned, the federal government is instead shackling itself with constraints that are particularly harmful in the current economic climate.

This piecemeal and difficult compromise shows that we cannot continue this way. In the medium term, we need a reform of the debt brake that safeguards investments in the future. This has become more than clear once again in this process.

The top representatives of all three “traffic light” coalition parties have emphasized that the federal government remains committed to the goal of an ecological transformation of industry. There should be no cuts to social programs. Especially now, social security and sustainable jobs are more important than ever. We will hold the coalition accountable on this.”