Former Federal Finance Minister Christian Lindner (FDP) criticized the government’s black pension plan. “I wonder why Friedrich Merz did not show strong leadership,” Lindner said on the talk show “Maischberger.” “When I look at current pension policies, I increasingly feel there is a lack of balance between young and old.”
Lindner bid farewell to the Bundestag on March 13 with a direct address to the new Chancellor: “You are here, in the front row. Who are you and what have you done with Friedrich Merz?” For now, Lindner expects the Chancellor to do what he asks as leader of the opposition. On the other hand, he should not impose this retirement policy on the younger generation if they are willing to accept military service for the sake of external security.
Earlier in the broadcast, Juso boss Philipp Türmer had called for “intergenerational justice”: “I want my generation to also be able to live on this pension,” he said. The average pension level is just 100 euros above the poverty line. Türmer called for civil servants and self-employed people to be included in pension insurance and for those with higher incomes to be asked to pay more.
Treat Ukrainians like asylum seekers
Tübingen’s non-party mayor Boris Palmer accused Türmer of wanting to funnel more money into the system without reducing transfer payments. Palmer calculates that the contribution rate will increase from 18.6 to 20 percent over the next four years. He suggested to Türmer that he sit down with the Junge Union and compare the interests of the younger generation.
The federal government recently decided that reform of citizens’ benefits will mean that Ukrainian citizens will no longer receive citizens’ benefits in the future, but will be treated the same as all other asylum seekers. This did not please all of Maischberger’s guests. “The provision of citizenship benefits to Ukrainians is so good that we see many refusing to work,” Palmer said. Therefore, “treating them like all other asylum seekers is right”.
Boss Juso Turmer is worried about this. He stated: “This doesn’t help what we actually need to do,” which is get them working as quickly as possible. “The goal is to integrate these people into the job market because that also means participation in society. The planned reforms are an effort, I only see them being disadvantaged,” Türmer said.
The two of them had a dispute over the issue of limiting migration. Palmer welcomed Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt’s initiative to limit immigration: “We in the municipality have reached the limits of our ability to integrate – schools, child care centers, the housing market.” Then Palmer addressed the issue of violence: “We have a significant increase in violent crime. There are six times as many Iraqis, Syrians and Afghans as there should be. That’s why breathing room for new arrivals is so urgently needed.”
“This is cheap magic”
Turmer sees it differently: “I have to strongly disagree.” He then said that Tübingen had a migration percentage of 18.5 percent, while his hometown of Offenbach had a migration percentage of 65 percent, which was the highest migration percentage of all large cities in Germany. At the same time, Offenbach is the safest city in Hesse. “The link that more migration means more crime is not true.” Palmer Counter: This is cheap magic. You equate well-integrated migrants with asylum seekers.”
Türmer said that crimes related to poverty are often caused by social problems. “The result of a lack of prospects.” Palmer responded: “Debating the problem will get us nowhere.” Instead, this led the public to vote for the AfD, and Sandra Maischberger caught the ball and skillfully returned it to her circle: What is the most skillful way to deal with the AfD?
Hold the AfD to account – or ban them
Palmer paints a picture of an all-party coalition against the AfD, which could produce an absolute majority for the AfD. He came to the conclusion: Can the AfD be given limited responsibilities without taking too great a risk to our constitution? And then you see what really happens.”
Not a worthy path for a tower guard. “I think the AfD is a very dangerous party. They should not be allowed to take responsibility,” he warned. On the contrary, like most members of the Social Democratic Party, Türmer supported the ban. “This is the right way to deal with those who should not take on government responsibilities.” Palmer sees little chance of this happening in Karlsruhe, whereas Türmer does.
