Dennis Radtke, head of the CDU workers' wing, has voiced support for cutting VAT on healthy basic foodstuffs. The statement responds to a proposal from the SPD parliamentary group amid debates on the Iran war's fallout. CDU's Sebastian Steineke also backs the measure.
Berlin. Dennis Radtke, chairman of the CDU workers' wing (CDA) and Member of the European Parliament, described a VAT cut on basic foodstuffs as "a conceivable form of relief." He told Handelsblatt: "A VAT reduction on basic foodstuffs I consider a conceivable form of relief." Radtke stressed the need for measures that help immediately.
Against the backdrop of debates on the Iran war's consequences, Radtke criticized the federal government for acting too slowly. "The government must now get out of talk-circle mode and act," he urged. Consumers are suffering from high prices with no end in sight.
Sebastian Steineke, consumer protection commissioner of the Union parliamentary group, called a reduction or abolition of VAT on basic foodstuffs "fundamentally worth considering." He referenced a similar idea from Union group leader Jens Spahn. Such steps would particularly relieve low-income consumers, as everyone depends on basic foods.
The SPD proposal is gaining support from CDU circles, adding momentum to the debate on relief measures.
