German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) advocates for reducing the simple value-added tax rate on food from seven to five percent. This measure “would help many who earn little money” Scholz said in the ARD “Tagesthemen”.
Meanwhile, the federal budget would not be excessively burdened. “I believe it’s now important to do something very manageable, something everyone can notice in their daily needs every day” Scholz said.
When asked if this would also apply to the hospitality industry, he did not comment. The causes of the high inflation rate of the past years are understandable, the Chancellor said. For him, it’s about discussing “what our country has experienced in recent years: a great war in our neighborhood, terrible consequences also for our economy, as suddenly half of the gas was missing. We have managed all that.” However, the country is still struggling with the aftermath.
Scholz, who visited the Ford plant in Cologne today, said in the “Tagesthemen” that he wanted to support the employees in a difficult situation. He also emphasized the need for improvements in the charging of electric vehicles and the charging infrastructure for e-cars.
Moreover, Europe must stick together in promoting the transition to electric mobility: “We need European support for the transition to electric mobility. A such premium I have demanded, and that’s what – even if the Commission is now speaking with the automotive industry – must be achieved.”
Regarding the developments in Syria, Scholz said that the situation in the country would be closely examined: “Now a bad dictator is gone; and that’s good.” Scholz sees it as a German task to ensure that the chance for a legally secure way of life, the emergence of democracy, and the coexistence of people of different religions does not slip away.