(de-news.net) – Thorsten Frei, the Parliamentary Secretary of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group, has refuted criticisms of his party’s economic policy agenda for 2030. Opponents had contended that the proposed tax reductions would incur nearly 100 billion euros in costs and were financially untenable. Frei countered, asserting that the fiscal gap was non-existent and that the planned alleviation in network charges and the reduction of electricity tax would be financed through the CO2 levy.

Frei further elaborated that the income tax reform had been meticulously calculated, offering up to 41 billion euros in relief for citizens, to be executed in four stages, thereby stimulating economic growth. He posited that the initial stage, commencing on January 1, 2026, would provide relief amounting to approximately ten billion euros, with half of this sum being covered by the federal budget. Frei underscored that the Union was prepared to establish political priorities, in contrast to the traffic light coalition, and would identify potential areas for budgetary cuts.