The traffic lights have to save money. When asked how this should be achieved, FDP General Secretary Djir-Sarai has a seemingly simple answer.
FDP General Secretary Bijan Djir-Sarai took on the financial policy of the coalition partner SPD in the Bundestag. He warned SPD parliamentary group leader Rolf Mützenich openly on Wednesday that the Federal Constitutional Court’s ruling does not mean “that we are eliminating the debt brake, but rather that this ruling means that we are strengthening the debt brake in this country.”
He warned “dear Rolf” that with inflation in the euro area, interest rate developments and the war in Ukraine, the situation was different than in previous years. Anyone who wants a debt policy in this situation would be damaging Germany as an economic and financial location and making a big political mistake.
“We have a different understanding of the state than you do, and that is the difference,” Djir-Sarai continued in the general debate about the Chancellor’s budget. “For us, the taxpayer’s money is not an arbitrary distribution resource. For us, by the way, it is not the state’s money, but the citizens’ money.”
“Spending is the problem”
“The German state doesn’t have a revenue problem. Expenditure is the problem. We have to get to it,” explains Djir-Sarai in an interview with “ntv”. In the same breath, he also spoke out against an increase in citizens’ allowance. “Take the citizen’s allowance, which has now been increased by an average of 12 percent. We have to critically question this significant increase,” said Djir-Sarai. “I expect there will be a zero round of citizens’ money next year.” He argues this with social justice. The wage gap requirement must be adhered to, reports “ntv”.
The FDP General Secretary also highlighted the importance of the European elections on June 9th. “It was always difficult to mobilize people in European elections. But now we have a situation in which we are confronted with immense challenges in Europe: economic development, inflation, migration.” However, there are forces that question European values. These forces must be fought, said Djir-Sarai.
Djir-Sarai: Migration will be an important issue in the election campaign
Djir-Sarai expects migration to be an important issue in the election campaign. “People need to see that something is finally starting to move in Europe. We have now achieved something that the previous government failed to achieve: an agreement on the Common European Asylum System that enables more management, control and limitations. People now have to achieve this success can also be felt locally in cities and municipalities. If politics solves concrete problems, populists have no chance.”
The politician, who was born in Tehran, also spoke out in favor of celebrating naturalizations more ceremoniously than has often happened in Germany. He himself received German citizenship at the age of 19. “I even bought a suit because I was expecting a celebration like I had seen in American films. But I was only given a certificate and a basic law and then had to pay the administration fee at the cash register . That was disappointing. Getting German citizenship is something very special. I’m proud to be a German. When you naturalize, it should be very clear that you become part of a society. We’re currently leaving a lot behind when it comes to people’s emotions to bind.”
