Finanzminister: Schaden am Flieger – Klingbeil nach G20-Treffen in den USA gestrandet

Lars Klingbeil (SPD) was supposed to have a big day on Wednesday. Early in the morning, the Bundestag decided on an income tax reform. Klingbeil then intended to address the press and defend the tax relief, including from his coalition partner's criticism. However, this outcome is now not the case. Klingbeil must stay in the USA for now due to a defect in the plane that prevented him from returning from the USA on Tuesday evening; he had to stay on the ground.

Klingbeil flew to Asheville, North Carolina, for the G20 Finance Ministers' meeting on Sunday. On Tuesday afternoon, he was to return to Germany to attend the cabinet meeting on Wednesday. For Klingbeil, this process is unfortunate. The Union has been pushing hard for his tax law. On Tuesday, a letter from Finance Minister Katherina Reiche (CDU) was made public, urging Klingbeil to revisit the law and further relieve taxpayers.

Klingbeil plans to reduce taxes for low and middle-income earners with his law, with savings of four billion euros in the next year and ten billion euros by 2028. A family with two children would be relieved by 614 euros per year, according to the Federal Finance Ministry. In return, the so-called rich tax for high earners increases.

Klingbeil differs from previous governments, however, by not compensating annual inflation-based tax increases, also known as "cold progression." This has led to strong criticism, including from the coalition partner. Klingbeil, on the other hand, points out that the Union itself approved the tax reform. He himself had wanted more extensive relief, but financing it had failed within the Union, which had resisted abolishing subsidies on a larger scale.

Regarding Reiche's letter, Klingbeil said at a G20 ministerial meeting in the USA, "Opposition within the government will ultimately harm everyone." Klingbeil expressed openness to widening taxpayer relief in the parliamentary process but stressed, "But the money must first be found."