A German state premier, Michael Kretschmer of the CDU, is set to advocate for the financial package in the federal council, which involves new debt for the state.
In an interview with RTL and ntv on Friday, Kretschmer stated, “Of course, it’s a big decision. It’s about a lot of money and it won’t be easy for anyone.” However, he believes it is necessary to “get it right” and that the decision is the right one, as it allows the state to prepare for defense and, at the same time, regain a better economic dynamic. He emphasized that if the state is not economically strong, it will be more vulnerable to attacks.
According to Kretschmer, the majority of Germans are not aware of the economic situation, which necessitates the taking of debt. He recalled a previous discussion in which the then-federal government had proposed taking on debt and the CDU had only agreed to it if the government was willing to remove growth brakes, particularly in the areas of energy policy and the labor market.
Kretschmer believes that a change of heart has taken place within the SPD, as he experienced a willingness to change politics and remove growth brakes during the exploratory talks. He cited the example of energy policy, stating, “Energy should not be a scarce and expensive good. We cannot pursue climate protection by ruining the economy here.