Federal government and states: States want less stop-and-go legislation from the federal government

The states desire earlier involvement from the federal government in significant decisions and less hasty legislation through the expedited process. The President of the Bundesrat, Andreas Bovenschulte, told the Deutsche Presse-Agentur in Berlin that "differences can be easily bridged if the federal government includes the states in decision-making in a timely manner, if it listens to and takes account of the interests and perspectives of the states."

Bovenschulte, who is also the chief of the government in Bremen, emphasized that the hasty process is not useful. The health reform was the recent major frustration for the states. The legislative process for the health savings package in the healthcare sector, close to the summer break, led to disagreements between the states and the federal government over financial concessions for the often already weakened hospitals.

In the Bundesrat, they only decided at the last moment that the savings package should even be put on the agenda. This only happened because the states agreed to shorten the deadlines for discussions. The savings package eventually passed the Bundesrat. The states criticize the shortening of deadlines, as they rarely have a chance to thoroughly discuss the projects due to such deadline requests.

The federal government's approach appears legitimate, according to Bovenschulte, but from the states' perspective, it is not good. The Bundesrat President stressed that the legislative process, while formally correct, remains an expedited process. He expressed that while the federal government's intention to prove its actionability by moving forward with a reform package is legitimate, it is not good from the states' point of view.

The example of the health reform shows that if the federal government continues to spend more money than it receives, something must change. "That cannot continue, that is clear," Bovenschulte said, pointing to the financial problems of the statutory health insurance. "But if the federal government solves its problems at the expense of hospitals and thus at the expense of municipalities, then ultimately nothing is gained."

As a Minister President with two municipalities, he could not find it good. The states have to deal with the consequences of such legislative processes. "Such a legislative process is formally correct, but it remains an expedited process," criticized the President of the Bundesrat. "And therefore, while there is understanding for wanting to quickly get a reform package through the door, I have little understanding for sacrificing the interests of the states and municipalities to the time pressure. We, the states, are very sensitive about this because we also have to deal with the consequences."