CDU leader Jan Redmann is in the mood for savings

Redmann, however, rejected the left’s demand to introduce a wealth tax in the country. “That would have fatal effects on the competitiveness of Brandenburg as a location,” said Redmann. Instead, the coalition partners tried to organize value creation and make Brandenburg more attractive for investments.

“If you introduce a wealth tax, it affects, for example, family businesses, agriculture and forestry, and everyone who is capital-intensive,” said Redmann. It would primarily be an investment tax, which would ultimately lead to Brandenburg being less competitive.

Redmann did not want to comment on the future coalition partners’ specific savings plans at his group’s weekly press conference on Tuesday. “We will not approach this with a lawn mower and cut all areas equally, but rather set priorities that ensure that the country can develop well and that security and order can continue to be guaranteed,” said Redmann.

Redmann also did not want to respond to speculation from environmental and nature conservation associations that the institutionalized support of associations and clubs was under scrutiny. “But of course we will examine the area critically,” said Redmann. Before the 2024 federal election, the CDU caused a stir because it requested information about public funding for organizations and institutions at the federal level. The Brandenburg AfD recently made a similar request.

Overall, according to Redmann, the coalition negotiations are on schedule. “In some cases they are even a little faster than we expected,” said the CDU politician from Wittstock. “The working groups negotiated very quickly, constructively and intensively during the holidays, so that their results are now available for discussion in the main treatment group.” The final negotiations always take place in the main negotiating group because experience has shown that there are still points that are controversial.

“We want to be finished by the end of February, then a complete coalition agreement will be published,” said Redmann. “Communicating things in between is certainly difficult.” They then want to discuss the coalition agreement with the party. In the first half of March, people want to exchange ideas intensively with each other at network conferences. “This is of course a very important concern, especially in the context of the member survey before us, but things can only be communicated once they are certain.”