FAZ Calls for Cuts in Social Budgets, To Finance Militarization

The front-page lead edictorial of Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung yesterday proposed under the headline “The Hours of Truth” that, as welcome as the 100-billion-euro extra defense budget may be, so far it is to be financed outside of the regular budget, by extra borrowings by the government that will have to be repaid at some point. The same goes for the enormous costs of climate protection; therefore, the axe must be taken to the “excessive” social budgets which amount to 50 percent of the entire fiscal year budget. The other area where substantial cuts must occur, according to the FAZ, is the over-staffed cabinet ministries. The taboo not to go for these cuts, must fall, the editorial demands.