Germany Unlikely to Get Revised Budget Finalized Before Year-End
- Lindner sees political accord on 2024 plan in a couple of days
- Talks to continue after finance minister returns from Brussels
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German Finance Minister Christian Lindner said he expects the ruling coalition to reach a political agreement on the structure of a revised 2024 budget “in a couple of days” while conceding that it’s unlikely to make it through parliament before the end of the year as planned.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s three-party alliance has been forced to overhaul its finances following last month’s shock ruling by Germany’s highest court that restricted debt-financed spending via special funds outside the regular federal budget. Lindner has identified a gap of €17 billion ($18.3 billion) for next year that needs to be plugged with measures like spending cuts and reductions in subsidies.