Thorsten Frei, the CDU head of the Federal Chancellery, indicated that he is fundamentally open to discussing higher taxation on extremely high incomes. Speaking to the ntv show “Pinar Atalay” Frei acknowledged the “wealth tax” as applying only to a very small percentage of people and stated that he could genuinely consider what options might be available there.
However, he stressed that high earners already contribute heavily to the tax base, noting that the top ten percent of earners are responsible for more than 50 percent of the state’s tax revenues-a fact, he cautioned, should not be underestimated.
Frei expressed criticism regarding the current implementation of the top marginal tax rate, arguing that it is set “too early” applying even to taxable incomes around €70,000 for single people. He pointed out that this would not only affect high earners but also “performers of society” calling the current rate structure unambiguously premature.
Overall, Frei opposed general increases in taxes paid by labor. While stating he was not convinced that Germany requires higher overall taxes, he strongly advocated for open dialogue. Crucially, he argued that it was pointless to state upfront what solutions are off the table. What is essential, he concluded, is reaching an outcome that is both “just and affordable”.