CDU on finance and taxes

The CDU rejects higher taxes because, in its view, they burden families, workers, and small and mid-sized businesses and weaken growth. It stands by the debt brake, wants to keep the state's debt from rising, and plans to put surpluses into reserves.

The CDU does not want to raise taxes. It says higher taxes hurt families, workers, and small companies. The state should not take on new debt. If money is left over, the state should save it for bad times.

The budget is to show restraint and set clear priorities. Instead of higher taxes, the program relies on economic strength, solid revenue, and planning certainty. The CDU calls the debt brake a promise to future generations. Surpluses are to go systematically into reserves to secure the state's long-term financial capacity. For 2035, the program names the goal of a stable budget with low debt and high investment.

The CDU wants to keep the share of investment in the state budget high over the long term and give it priority over day-to-day spending. The money is to go to infrastructure, energy, research, education, security, and start-ups. Funds for structural change are to be used in a targeted and transparent way.

The CDU wants the state to invest a lot. The money should go to roads, internet, energy, research, and education. Investment should matter more than day-to-day spending. The state's development bank should become stronger.

The program names transport and digital infrastructure, a secure energy supply, innovation, research, education, security, and business start-ups. The Investitionsbank Sachsen-Anhalt is to be developed further as the state's development bank and to spur regional development and private investment in cities and rural areas. Money from federal, EU, and state programs for structural change is to be used efficiently and with clear aims. The yardstick is lasting jobs, regional value creation, and long-term prospects, especially in rural areas.

The CDU wants to secure reliable funding for cities, towns, and counties. Starting in 2027, a new fiscal equalization act is to distribute money more fairly across the levels of local government.

The CDU wants cities and towns to have enough money. From 2027, a new law should share the money more fairly. Every municipality should get a minimum amount. Poorer municipalities should get extra help.

The new law is to be based on the findings of an expert report that the CDU says it initiated. It is meant to meet the entitlement to a minimum level of funding. Structural financial weakness is to be offset in order to achieve equivalent living conditions. The program calls municipalities the backbone of the state.