With the “double boom” the federal government is taking the debt brake ad absurdum

Berlin The energy defense shield against the consequences of Putin’s war is a historic step. Citizens and businesses may soon no longer be able to pay their energy bills, inflation is at its highest level in 70 years, and millions of people fear for their existence. In this situation, the state has to do something big to counter an impending crisis of confidence. The coalition did that.

However, the financing of the “double boom”, as the Chancellor calls the combination of electricity price and gas price brakes, is a risky manoeuvre. The operation is legally tricky, has a potential time bomb built in and continues to take the debt brake ad absurdum.

The coalition wants to have another exception to the debt brake this year so that it can take on a further 200 billion euros in debt. With this money she wants to fill up the energy defense shield that runs outside the regular household.