SPD politician Sebastian Roloff has urged the current black-red coalition government to reach compromises with critics hailing from the federal states regarding upcoming social and tax reforms. Speaking to the “Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland”, the Bundestag member emphasized that any reform can only succeed with the involvement of every party: “Unions, employers, and the states must all be included”. He stressed the importance of early inclusion, warning that if stakeholders are consulted only at the final stage, the government must anticipate considerable resistance.
Regarding specific policy proposals, the SPD politician showed an openness to discussing the Union’s demand to abolish the Solidarity Surcharge (Soli) as part of the planned income tax reform. However, Roloff, who belongs to the left wing of the SPD, offered a critique of the proposal. While noting that only about ten percent of taxpayers currently pay the surcharge, he argued that simply eliminating it “is not economic policy”. Although he indicated that the issue could be addressed within a broader package deal, he maintained that the measure was insufficient to act as a comprehensive solution by itself.