Merz: EU budget must be cut by several hundred billion euros
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Tuesday the European Commission's original EU budget proposal of nearly €2 trillion should be slashed by hundreds of billions and called it 'unacceptable' to add 2,500 new jobs at EU institutions.
Speaking at a press conference with Irish Taoiseach Micheál Martin, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz criticized the European Commission's budget plan as "unacceptable" and "not balanced." He insisted on a draft budget with across-the-board cuts totaling several hundred billion euros.
Merz also lashed out at the Commission's plan to increase EU staff by 2,500 positions, arguing that Germany itself is cutting its government workforce by 8% by 2029. "It is unacceptable that 2,500 new positions are now to be created for the European institutions. We will not accept that," the chancellor said.
Under Ireland's presidency of the Council of the EU, the country must present a new budget proposal before an EU leaders' summit in October. Martin faces the difficult task of reconciling Merz's push for cuts with conflicting demands from countries like Italy, Spain, and Poland, which support a larger budget.
When asked by POLITICO whether the proposed cut matched the €400 billion reduction mentioned in a German document, Merz declined to elaborate, citing ongoing negotiations. The Irish leader was cautious in response, stating he would "listen carefully" to the chancellor and expressing hope that agreement could be reached by year-end if all parties approach the task in the right spirit.
