The next government will be beholden to the debt brake again - and if the CDU happens to be in the opposition, they will block any and all investment to make the governing parties look worse.
Although I expect the AfD to form a blocking minority for constitutional amendments anyway. Maybe we’ll get the first CDU + AfD government by 2029 - wouldn’t be the first time that German conservatives allow nazis to rise to power.
In four years, I suspect nearly all money will be allocated and either the next government manages to make another constitutional amendment or they will lack founding again.
500 billion is not a lot for 30 years of infrastructure decay.
Yes but the next budget can then be done by a simple 51% majority which is the regular coalition. This dept brake change needed a 2/3 vote and lays the foundation for easier budgets in the future.
Are you sure? From everything I read, there is only a 500 billion credit for infrastructure and an exception for defense spending above 1%.
If the 500 billion credit is largely spent and/or designated by 2029, the next government may not be able to pass a budget without a lot of cuts. Especially because retirement spending will explode by then, taking away money from everything else.
You are right, the off-budget fund (Sondervermögen) for infrastructure also needed a 2/3 vote. I was under the impression that the 500 billion credit and how it will be spend was just part of the negotiations for the dept brake reform. My bad.
For 4 years.
The next government will be beholden to the debt brake again - and if the CDU happens to be in the opposition, they will block any and all investment to make the governing parties look worse.
Although I expect the AfD to form a blocking minority for constitutional amendments anyway. Maybe we’ll get the first CDU + AfD government by 2029 - wouldn’t be the first time that German conservatives allow nazis to rise to power.
Why would this only last 4 years? It’s a constitution change. It does not magically undo itself after a certain time.
The budget, I mean.
In four years, I suspect nearly all money will be allocated and either the next government manages to make another constitutional amendment or they will lack founding again.
500 billion is not a lot for 30 years of infrastructure decay.
Yes but the next budget can then be done by a simple 51% majority which is the regular coalition. This dept brake change needed a 2/3 vote and lays the foundation for easier budgets in the future.
Are you sure? From everything I read, there is only a 500 billion credit for infrastructure and an exception for defense spending above 1%.
If the 500 billion credit is largely spent and/or designated by 2029, the next government may not be able to pass a budget without a lot of cuts. Especially because retirement spending will explode by then, taking away money from everything else.
You are right, the off-budget fund (Sondervermögen) for infrastructure also needed a 2/3 vote. I was under the impression that the 500 billion credit and how it will be spend was just part of the negotiations for the dept brake reform. My bad.