Coalition government proposes measures in Germany: The ruling coalition in Germany that is made up of the SPD, the Greens and the FDP, has come together to agree on a joint coalition agreement entitled “Dare to make more progress”. The three parties presented their plans at a press conference in Berlin.
The three parties released a 177 page document that set out their set visions for the future.
Coalition Government plans
Coalition negotiations began on October 21st and all parties had a hand in negotiating what was best outcome which was realised in a record time of two months:
- Germany will reinstate the constitutionally enshrined debt limit from 2023 while maintaining the promises to invest heavily in climate and infrastructure in the years ahead.
- The coalition agreed to adhere to requirements of the debt brake. The debt brake, which put a stop to annual borrowing, was lifted in 2020 to rescue the economy from the pandemic.
- The green party which is know to spearhead environmental change laid out plans to phase out coal by 2023, eight years earlier than previously suggested.
- Local.de wrote, ‘The Social Democrats, Greens and liberal FDP are aiming to “bring forward the coal phase-out to 2030 ideally and leave combustion engine technology behind”, the document said, adding they would also seek carbon neutrality by 2045.’
The plan is to use 3.5 percent of the GDP for investment in research and development based around the change to a carbon-neutral economy.
- The constitution revealed that Germany hopes to enforce sustainable goals that will see 2030 having 80 percent of their electricity coming from renewable sources.
READ MORE: Angela Merkel urges the federal state heads to take drastic anti-covid measures
Legalisation of Cannabis
The government hopes to legalise the recreational use of cannabis. This will entail the controlled distribution of cannabis to adults for consumption purposes in licensed stores.
The coalition hopes that the legalisation will control the quality, prevent the circulation of contaminated substances ans ensure the protections of minors.
The incoming government is to invest billions of euros in bonuses for healthcare workers on the frontlines of the pandemic and as a gesture of thanks to doctors and nurses in the time of covid.
Other proposed policies:
- Increasing the current €9.60 minimum wage to €12 per hour
- Basic child insurance will be linked to ones income and will make sure that parents have enough money to cover their children’s basic needs until they achieve the age of 18 years old
- Rules that forbid doctors from disseminating information about abortions will be stripped
- Replacing the controversial Transsexuals Act “with a self-determination law” which allows people to change their official gender at a registry office.
- The aim of the government is to build about 400,000 new homes per year where at least more than 100,000 will be used as social housing.
- A rent break will be introduced that forbids landlord from raising rents by more than 11 percent over three years.
- Reducing the voting age from 18 to 16
- Eliminating Hartz IV unemployment benefits and replacing it with ‘citizens fund’.
Source: Thelocal.de