BERLIN (dpa-AFX) – With a four-hour general debate on the course of the federal government, the budget week in the Bundestag will reach its climax on Wednesday (9 a.m.). The occasion is traditionally the consultation of the individual budget of the Federal Chancellery. Usually, the government and the opposition engage in a sharp political exchange. In the course of the debate, Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) will also take the floor and explain her policy.
The general debate this year is likely to be heavily influenced by the Federal Government’s approach to the corona pandemic. The fight against the crisis leads to a further drastic increase in new debt. Loans of almost 180 billion euros are planned for the coming year.
It is eagerly awaited whether Merkel will comment on how to proceed with the corona-related restrictions. The federal and state governments had agreed to relax the time between Christmas and New Year. In view of the continued high number of infections, however, these are increasingly being called into question. Most recently, the state of Saxony, which is currently particularly affected by the pandemic, announced that it would significantly tighten the partial lockdown from next Monday. Schools, daycare centers and many shops will then be closed.
In the afternoon, the Bundestag will also discuss three further individual budgets – those of the Federal Foreign Office, the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Development./sk/DP/nas
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