“There will be further relief,” said Lang of “Bild am Sonntag”. “The increased gas and electricity prices have not yet fully reached the people. But that will change by autumn and winter. We are talking about what further relief we need to bring on the way.”
As far as the design of the new relief is concerned, Lang already has some ideas. “In the case of future relief, we clearly have to be even more targeted, for example by staggering grants socially.” In addition, something must be changed in the long term. “As proposed by Hubertus Heil, the Hartz IV rate should increase by around 50 euros.”
According to Lang, he can also understand the resentment of the pensioners who got nothing with the current energy money. She believes that a modification of the energy money is out of the question, but: “In the case of future relief, we will keep an eye on people with small pensions and their problems.”
In view of the current situation, Lang is of secondary importance as to whether the debt brake can be complied with again in 2023. “The decisive question is not whether we will suspend the debt brake at all costs or comply with it, but whether we will meet the challenges of our time,” said the Green Party leader. “One thing is clear for us Greens: We will not save on social issues. Not because of citizen income, not because of basic child security, not because of the necessary relief for poorer households.”
Lang justifies her absolute stance with social peace. “If we save on social spending, more people may slide into poverty and lose trust in the state. This endangers the foundations of our democracy.”
