Parliament's Allowance Bump Sparks Outrage Among Taxpayers
Criticism Mounts Over Parliament's Enhanced Diet Allowance, According to Taxpayers' Association - Diet Plus underfire from Taxpayers' Association in Landtag, facing strong accusations and heavy criticism over its utilization of public funds.
Let's get real here: The folks over at the Taxpayers' Association ain't pleased as punch about the recent upsurge in MPs' allowances in the Saxony-Anhalt Landtag. As they put it, "These over-the-top hikes pile on some serious extra costs for taxpayers."
Starting in July, these MPs are gonna rake in some major dough. Their monthly allowance will jump by over 450 euros, up to a whopping 8,736.66 euros, according to the Landtag admin. That's a significant boost compared to the 7,797.69 euros they'd get this year without the increase. The tax-free expense allowance will tick up by 2.5 percent, too, to 2,309.90 euros.
Taxpayers ain't happy with this, 'cause they reckon MPs get an unfair advantage, 'cause they don't gotta cough up for pension and unemployment insurance. The Taxpayers' Association thinks tying MPs' allowances to the nominal wage index is a raw deal compared to ordinary wage earners.
"Especially with tight budges, these lavish allowances should be assessed again and the automatic increase squashed," the Association said in no uncertain terms. The budget for 2025 is planning to fork out about 23.1 million euros on expenses for active MPs - nearly three million euros more than in 2023. That figure includes more than just allowances; it also covers employee costs, health insurance, and travel expenses.
The Left party's already pledged to give their entire raise to a solidarity fund for their faction. Money earned will be tossed to associations, organizations, kindergartens, after-school care facilities, and youth and leisure centers, they said. They'll set up a donation program worth over 15,000 euros for summer holidays recreational activities. Eva von Angern, the faction leader, commented, "In times of crisis, boosting MPs' allowances just sends the wrong message to folks who work tirelessly and get paid pennies."
- Taxpayers' Association
- Landtag
- Saxony-Anhalt
- Allowances
- "Perhaps, as a response to the recent uproar among taxpayers in Saxony-Anhalt over the significant increase in MPs' allowances in the Landtag, the Taxpayers' Association might advocate for a reassessment of the community policy regarding vocational training, considering the disparity between MPs' benefits and ordinary wage earners."
- "Given the current political climate, with ongoing discussions about policy-and-legislation, general-news outlets might focus on vocational training programs, especially in light of the Taxpayers' Association's concern about the unequal advantage MPs seem to have, as they do not contribute to pension and unemployment insurance funds."
