Freie Welt: Mr von Storch, how do you assess the economic situation in Germany?

Sven von Storch: Bad, unfortunately very bad. The traffic light government is destroying the market economy and with it our prosperity. It is replacing it with eco-socialism through its climate ideology. The result is a shortage economy that affects us all. The existence of the productive middle class is under threat. From bakers and farmers to the metalworking industry, from restaurateurs to chemical companies: German businesses are fighting for their existence. Yet these companies create the wealth that finances our welfare state, our healthcare system, our schools and nurseries, pensions and roads, bridges and other infrastructure.

Freie Welt: And what can be done about it? Who is to blame?

Sven von Storch: The Scholz-Habeck-Lindner team of the traffic light government is definitely partly to blame for Germany's economic decline with its political decisions. The problems could be solved quickly if only the government wanted to. The crisis in our economy and public finances did not come upon us like a natural disaster. Politicians have created these problems themselves. The exploding costs for asylum and migration, the citizen's income and Habeck's green climate projects are the result of deliberate political decisions.

Freie Welt: Yes, but where should we start to turn the tide?

Sven von Storch: If we go through government spending with a red pencil, it quickly becomes clear that without the ideological climate, asylum and redistribution policies, the German state could not only reduce taxes and reduce debt, but would also have funds available for infrastructure and future investments.

Freie Welt: Do you have any specific examples? Where could the red pencil be applied to make savings?

Sven von Storch: Think of the following expenditure items in the federal budget, for example: 24 billion euros are earmarked for asylum and refugees in the federal budget. In addition, the federal states have 23 billion euros to spend. The expenditure will probably be much higher than planned. 25 billion euros are earmarked for the citizens' income. Half of this will go to foreigners, especially Ukrainians and Syrians. According to estimates, the costs could rise by a further 10 billion. All development ministry projects together involve expenditure totalling 62 billion euros. This includes 5.7 billion for India alone, which is working on its own space programme. Between 2024 and 2027, 211 billion euros have been earmarked for achieving the climate protection targets. 16.9 billion was earmarked for federal funding in the building sector alone, the Heat Pump Act. To emphasise the scale: The farmers' demonstrations against the cancellation of the tax reduction for agricultural diesel and motor vehicle tax are only about one billion euros. But this billion is not there for the German farmers. The figures show the enormous potential for savings in the federal budget.

Germany does not have a revenue problem. We do not need tax increases. Nor does the state need to take on additional debt. The problem is that the left-green traffic lights are squandering money worldwide. Thank God the Federal Constitutional Court has at least now drawn a red line for this madness with its judgement on the debt brake.

Freie Welt: And what do you personally and the Civil Alliance want to do to improve the situation in the country and bring about a change in policy?

Sven von Storch: We want to educate citizens about the context so that they can exert political pressure on those responsible. For example, we are currently producing an informative leaflet that uses graphics and figures to clearly and comprehensibly show how the budget can be quickly reorganised and how the burden on citizens and companies can be quickly reduced. The more citizens are informed, the clearer the signals for a change in policy will be.