Yasmin Fahimi, the chief of the DGB trade union federation, has echoed the concerns of economists regarding the usage of the special fund earmarked for infrastructure and climate neutrality. Earlier, several academics had criticized Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil (SPD), accusing him of merely using the special fund to plug budget gaps rather than financing genuine new investments.
The leading trade unionist has now voiced similar reservations. Speaking to the “Süddeutsche Zeitung” (Thursday edition), Fahimi stated that it remains unclear whether the 500 billion euros are guaranteed to go entirely toward additional investments. “We are disappointed” she said. This statement is notable because the DGB had previously viewed the establishment of the special fund as a major breakthrough meant to overcome Germany’s significant investment backlog.