Germany's Conservatives rule out helping minority government to pass budget-related laws before election
ARD
The leader of Germany's largest opposition party, Friedrich Merz, has ruled out helping the minority government of chancellor Olaf Scholz to get major policy projects across the line if they affect the government budget. 鈥淭he German parliament will not be making any major decisions any longer, at least not with our consent,鈥� the Conservative (CDU) politician said, according to a by public broadcaster ARD. He insisted that his party 鈥渋s not the spare wheel of this broken car鈥� that is Scholz鈥檚 coalition government. The country neither has an amended budget for 2024 nor a budget for 2025, which would 鈥減rohibit鈥� his party from consenting to anything that alters spending plans for the next year, the opposition leader said.
Scholz and other members of his minority government have called on members of parliament from the conservative CDU to vote with the government on outstanding policy projects. Budget-relevant policies for which Scholz has sought the Conservatives鈥� support include an extension of the national ceiling on rent prices, childcare support, and infrastructure protection measures. However, Merz said that his party might give its consent to other selected measures, such as introducing safeguards for protecting the country鈥檚 highest court from political influence. The CDU plans to publish its election programme on 17 December, the day after Scholz is set to hold a motion of confidence in parliament.
