(GermanPolicy.com) – Several states governed by the CDU have criticized the Federal Government’s supplementary budget. The Hessian Prime Minister Bouffier said the budget had numerous shortcomings, and that he cannot consent. Pensioners and students are not included in the budget. Lower Saxony’s Finance Minister Hilbers said that the states would be overburdened financially by the package from the Federal Government, which must bear the financial burden instead of the German states, which were not included in preliminary talks.

The social association VdK also stated that the budget was unfair. “It is unacceptable that pensioners, whose risk of poverty has been increasing rapidly for years and which is now well above the population average, receive zero Euros,” said VdK President Bentele.

With the relief package and some other regulations, the new debt estimated for 2022 will increase from 99.7 billion Euros to 138.9 billion euros. The state chamber does not have to agree to the package.