Schwerin/Munich (dpa/mv) – Despite the ruling on the legality of the solidarity surcharge announced by the Federal Fiscal Court (BFH) on Monday, the FDP in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania is demanding its complete abolition. “The soli has long since ceased to be used for what it was originally introduced for, but is a welcome fiscal by-catch,” said FDP state and parliamentary group leader René Domke, explaining his criticism of the verdict. In terms of tax policy, too, the solidarity surcharge introduced and levied nationwide to finance the development of the East is no longer a temporary special levy, but “long since a permanently cemented tax increase”.
The Federal Fiscal Court in Munich dismissed a lawsuit against the solidarity surcharge on Monday. This is not unconstitutional, decided the IX. Senate of the highest German finance court. The federal government can thus continue to plan annual income from the levy in the tens of billions. However, the plaintiffs, who are supported by the taxpayers’ association, have four weeks to lodge a possible constitutional complaint in Karlsruhe.
Since 2021, the solidarity surcharge has only been levied on companies and higher earners. Nonetheless, revenues are still high. “If we look at the years 2021/22/23, then we have 53 billion euros,” said Reiner Holznagel, President of the Taxpayers’ Association. According to Domke, the abolition of the soli would also be a decisive factor in relieving the burden on the many medium-sized companies affected. They are in a difficult situation anyway. “A noticeable relief is the prerequisite for the economic recovery of our country,” emphasized Domke.
In 2019, the former grand coalition decided in the “Act on the Reduction of the Solidarity Surcharge 1995” that ninety percent of income tax payers should remain exempt. The top ten percent have to pay the surcharge. Due to the generally low wage level in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, the proportion of solidarity payers in the north-east is likely to be lower.
