Hessens Ministerpräsident verteidigt die Schuldenbremse und geht auf Reformvorschläge ein

Hessen: Auch Nachtragshaushalt wird Schuldenbremse halten

Hessen’s Minister President, Boris Rhein, defended the debt brake in a speech in the Wiesbaden state parliament. „Even the supplementary budget for 2024 will clearly adhere to the debt brake. You can rely on that,“ emphasized the Prime Minister on Thursday. This financial policy instrument to limit new borrowing is a success story and a blessing. „We stand for the debt brake without any ifs or buts,“ Rhein emphasized, with a view to the new black-red state government. „We make budget policy without loopholes.“

Rhein also commented on the recent considerations of the „Wise Men,“ who described the debt brake as unnecessarily strong and suggested a reform. When Germany’s „Wise Men,“ as the „five most important economists of our country,“ think about the future of the debt brake, it would be ignorant and „even dumb“ not to take a look at it, he said. Recently, Rhein had referred to these „considerations“ as „wise suggestions.“ However, according to him, this does not imply a departure from the debt brake, it is just a „nice try,“ the Prime Minister emphasized in the Hessian state parliament.

The reform proposed by the „Wise Men,“ including the Sachverständigenrat zur Begutachtung der Gesamtwirtschaftlichen Entwicklung, could give the federal government several billion euros of credit leeway each year.

Miriam Dahlke from the Green opposition emphasized that their faction supported reform efforts in this area. Black-Red should effectively advocate for a sustainable further development of the debt brake at all levels. It is about investments for the benefit of future generations. Bundesbank President Joachim Nagel also showed openness to a debate on the debt brake, for example.

In conclusion, the debt brake continues to be a topic of discussion and debate in Hessen. The government stands by its commitment to maintaining fiscal discipline while also considering potential reforms suggested by experts in the field. The future of the debt brake remains a key issue in financial policy, with various stakeholders expressing their opinions on how best to navigate the challenges ahead.