“Everyone pays for Scholz’s free beer”

Berlin On the second TV triall of the three Chancellor candidates Armin Laschet (CDU), Olaf Scholz (SPD) and Annalena Baerbock (Greens) on Sunday evening, the hope of the Union, which is ailing in the polls, rests. Laschet has to score. The CDU economic politician Friedrich Merz calls on him to openly address the poor financial situation of the German state.

“The financing of our welfare state now takes up a third of Germany’s economic output. We should tell people: The level is sensational, but we won’t be able to do more in the next few years, ”said the former head of the Union parliamentary group to the Handelsblatt. Germany must first stabilize the base and earn the prosperity of the future again. When asked whether Chancellor candidate Laschet should address this analysis, Merz said: “Why not? The majority of people know that things cannot go on like this. ”