‘Out of the comfort zone of complacency’ – Habeck defends economic policy in face of recession criticism in German Parliament

« During a session in the German Bundestag on Thursday in Berlin, the Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Action from the German Green Party (Alliance 90/The Greens) defended his economic policy against opposition criticism that it played a role in the current recession, as part of the budget debate for 2024.
Minister Habeck pointed out that these concerns have significantly receded, emphasising Germany’s progress in addressing the energy crisis triggered by Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. He challenged the German population to step out of their comfort zones to confront the crisis actively.
« Get out of the comfort zone of complacency – that has to be the motto of our time. If we want to defend our prosperity, if we want to renew our prosperity, then it means that we have to act actively and not lecture ourselves on how we could have acted in the past, » said Habeck.
The Federal Minister advocated for cooperation as a strategic response, attributing the ongoing turmoil to Russia. While supported by government coalition members, his speech faced sharp criticism from the opposition.
Former Health Minister Jens Spahn, previously part of Angela Merkel’s government, accused the current administration of dysfunction during the crisis. He argued that the ‘Germany Pact’ represented a vote of no confidence by the Chancellor against his own coalition, highlighting a significant lack of public trust in the current government.
Meanwhile, members of the left-wing opposition pointed out that the decision to impose sanctions on Russia was a government decision.
Klaus Ernst, a member of the Bundestag from the Left party, expressed concerns about the negative economic growth in Germany, contrasting it with Russia’s economic growth. He suggested that the government’s sanctions were contributing to the country’s economic decline and called for a more reasoned approach to sanctions.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has called for a collaborative effort to modernise Germany. He recently proposed a ‘Germany Pact’ aimed at revitalising the nation amid current challenges, such as high inflation, energy crisis, global warming or the consequences of the war in Ukraine. »



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