Overview

• Lars Klingbeil told ZDF he will not take any option off the table to close the gap, explicitly including higher levies for very high incomes and large fortunes.
• Kanzleramtsminister Thorsten Frei, Unionsfraktionschef Jens Spahn and CSU’s Martin Huber ruled out tax hikes, citing the coalition agreement and urging spending cuts instead.
• SPD parliamentary manager Dirk Wiese backed financing promised relief for small and middle incomes and said asking top earners to contribute more would be acceptable.
• Business and taxpayer groups argued Germany has an expenditure problem and pressed for savings, while the Sozialverband Deutschland endorsed higher taxation of the very wealthy.
• No specific measures have been presented, and negotiations over cuts, subsidy reviews and possible revenue steps are set to shape the autumn budget talks.