MChancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) was confronted with a wide range of topics at the “Chancellor Talks” in Dresden on Thursday evening. The participants were particularly interested in dealing with the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine as well as pension policy and other social issues. The exchange of opinions remained objective throughout – there was only a protest in front of the event location in the historic cultural power plant.
With a view to the war in Ukraine, Scholz reiterated his no to the delivery of Taurus cruise missiles. He once again pointed out that this weapon could be used to reach precise targets in Moscow and that Germans would be directly involved in the operations – “I think that is impossible.”
Scholz is once again committed to basic child security
Instead, the Chancellor referred to other support provided: “We don’t do less than others, we do a lot more.” This is also correct, because it cannot be “for a country to move borders by force”. In response to a participant’s criticism of German arms deliveries and his call for “diplomacy instead of grenades,” the Chancellor replied: “That is the sentence that we are now chanting together in the direction of Moscow.”
Other participants had questions about the security of pensions. The pension level is guaranteed until 2025, and a new law will soon come “that will ensure this for a much longer period of time,” promised the Chancellor. Anyone who has acquired too few pension entitlements will be helped with the basic pension. In addition to “good pension development,” it is also important to prevent “contributions from exploding too much.”
“The best insurance against poverty in old age is good wages,” the Chancellor also said. One of the government’s contributions was to raise the minimum wage to twelve euros. Scholz also once again committed to the introduction of basic child benefits, which would ensure that all those entitled to benefits receive benefits.
Federal government should be present on Tiktok
“More affordable housing needs to be built,” admitted Scholz. Funds have been made available for this, but construction must also become cheaper. “One suggestion is serial construction,” said the Chancellor, i.e. adopting the basic planning structure of existing buildings for new houses. He viewed the division of energy renovation costs between tenants and landlords as a “good compromise”.
Scholz also spoke out in favor of the federal government having a presence on the Chinese online social media platform Tiktok in the future. “The federal government is also discussing this, and I think it is right,” said Scholz on Thursday evening at a citizens’ dialogue in Dresden. He had previously been asked why the AfD had a strong presence there, but centrist parties hardly had one. It is important that you are active on all channels and can be noticed with the information you have to provide, said the SPD politician. The background is that the federal government and ministries have been discussing for months which social platforms you should be active on and which you shouldn’t.
Other questions concerned climate protection and education as well as concerns about the rise of the AfD, which is partly right-wing extremist. The “Chancellor Talk” in the Saxon state capital was the twelfth in a series of discussions with citizens in different federal states and the first of these in the current year.
During his visit to Dresden, Scholz had previously visited companies and met members of a democracy project. He appealed to people’s willingness to communicate and called for their solidarity. “Economic recovery succeeds in a country that sticks together and cannot be divided. And that’s why it’s very important that we also contradict those who want to drive our country apart.”
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