A senior official of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) has called for a comprehensive relief package for small and medium-income earners in the next federal government, amid the backdrop of rising prices for energy, food and housing.
Dennis Radtke, the CDU’s chairman, told the Tagesspiegel in an interview that the party must take concrete action for the hardworking middle class in Germany. He mentioned the need for a reduction in social insurance premiums, a decrease in the tax burden and a clarification of the government’s stance on these issues in a coalition agreement.
Radkte also criticized the party’s lack of focus on economic and social issues during the election campaign, saying that the migration debate had dominated the campaign instead. He also argued that the CDU had not effectively explained its plans to reduce corporate taxes, saying that the party had not made it clear that the goal was to preserve jobs, not just benefit the wealthy.
Radkte mentioned that the CDU’s former minister for labor and social affairs, Karl-Josef Laumann, could be a strong candidate for a cabinet position in the next government, citing his understanding of the everyday lives of ordinary people and his ability to communicate effectively with them. He expressed a desire to see Laumann being considered for a position in the new government.