Each party had its own red line: According to Finance Minister Lindner, the traffic lights in the budget talks had reached their limit. However, he does not see the relations between the coalition parties deteriorating.
Federal Finance Minister Christian Lindner defends the federal government’s agreement on the budget for the coming year. The FDP chairman in the coalition said it is no longer possible Daily Topics,
“It would have been possible to decide on further measures,” Lindner said. “But it is a reality that there are mutual limits.” One limit for him is the question of tax increases. For him it is important that no further financial burden is placed on the working population – on the contrary: “I want to give them relief, that was my red line, others have their own.”
“Nothing has changed between us”
The traffic light coalition had struggled for weeks over the details of the draft budget and had pursued their dispute partly through the media. Asked about his relations with Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Vice-Chancellor Robert Habeck, Lindner said: “Nothing has changed between Mr. Scholz, Mr. Habeck and me.”
There is a shared responsibility for the country – and different fundamental beliefs. “We are an alliance, not a merger.”