BSW MP Keeps Budget Vote Option Open due to Education and Property Tax Concerns
Budget vote remains undecided by a Bundestag representative. - Environmental Protection Proposal Requested from Commission
With the Brandenburg state budget decision looming in just two weeks, a united vote from the SPD/BSW coalition in the state parliament isn't a sure thing. BSW MP Sven Hornauf, known for straying from the coalition line, is holding out on voting for the double budget for this and next year unless changes are made in education and property tax.
"If the education package comes as is, I won't vote for it because the education package is an education cut," Hornauf told the German Press Agency. The SPD and the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW) have a slim majority of two votes in parliament with a total of 46 out of 88 MPs. The double budget is set for a vote on June 20. It includes cuts, although some have since been removed.
MP Hornauf criticizes the proposed plans for teachers to give one additional hour of teaching per week due to savings. He views these as an educational farce, questioning the coalition's commitment to educational improvement[2]. Final exams at gymnasiums and primary school reports might be eliminated as a cost-saving measure, yet Hornauf sees this as compromising educational quality[2].
Regarding property tax reform, Hornauf is pushing for municipalities to have the option for a differentiated tax rate for commercial and private properties to prevent significant increases for homeowners in some regions[2]. Although his own motion didn't come to fruition, he previously supported a similar motion from the AfD faction in May, sparking controversy within the coalition[1]. BSW MP Reinhard Simon abstained from this vote.
By violating the coalition agreement that opposing initiatives should generally be rejected for the first time, Hornauf has caused unpleasantness in the past. For instance, when he abstained in the vote on the budget of the Ministry of the Interior in the Interior Committee, the draft did not get a majority there in May[1]. As a result, Hornauf was removed from all parliamentary committees, and a faction expulsion was even discussed[1]. He is now a member of the Enquete Commission on public passenger transport.
At the end of May, SPD faction leader Bjoern Luettmann said he believed "that all members of the SPD faction will vote for the budget." The BSW faction also hopes the budget will be approved. Faction leader Niels-Olaf Lueders expressed confidence that the vote on the property tax had been evaluated with Simon in such a way "that we can rely on it." And Hornauf? "We're still in talks," a faction spokesman said. "That won't be the sticking point." Whether the Frankfurt (Oder) MP will vote in favor will be determined later.
[1] Enrichment Data: Coalition dynamics within the SPD/BSW parliamentary majority[2] Enrichment Data: Hornauf's concerns regarding education and property tax reforms and their potential impact on the coalition vote
- Despite the tight majority of the SPD/BSW coalition in the EC countries' Brandenburg state parliament, BSW MP Sven Hornauf has expressed concerns about the proposed education and property tax policies, potentially impacting the vote on the double budget scheduled for June 20.
- In the ongoing political discussions regarding the EC countries' Brandenburg state budget, BSW MP Sven Hornauf's stance on policies related to vocational training, education, and property tax reform continues to be a significant aspect of the policy-and-legislation discourse, making headlines in general news.
