Green Party slams government for wasting funds on handouts over infrastructure
Berlin. Green Party co-leader Franziska Brantner has criticized discussions within the governing coalition about taking on new debt.
"Frankly, this government has more money than any before it, and it's squandering it on handouts to special interests instead of tackling real reform and investing sensibly in our infrastructure to get this country back on track," she told broadcaster Welt on Monday. "We can't pile on any more debt—what we need is for these funds to finally be spent wisely."
The money, she argued, is being wasted "on all sorts of short-term spending" rather than "genuine investment in our infrastructure—renovating schools, roads, and railways." Brantner continued: "Economic experts have repeatedly shown that the funds aren't reaching where they're needed because the government is just shuffling them into budgetary shell games. And now they're already talking about taking on more debt? That's truly irresponsible."
Brantner also took aim at Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU). "Mr. Merz made promises—he won businesses' trust by pledging to push through reforms, to find the courage to act. But he can't deliver, not even on the basics. He lacks the courage," the Green politician said. "And clearly, he lacks the ideas too—all he does is constantly berate this country."
She accused the government of acting "irresponsibly," saying, "They're completely paralyzed by infighting, stuck in the past. Both sides, in their own way, are just clinging to the status quo instead of finally driving the reforms this country desperately needs."
The idea of incurring further debt to cover the lingering costs of the Iran conflict had been floated by SPD parliamentary group leader Matthias Miersch.
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