Commissioner for Eastern Europe for new distribution of assets

The Commissioner for Eastern Germany, Elisabeth Kaiser, is making a new push for a fairer distribution of wealth in East and West. A "basic inheritance" is an "exciting idea", as is the debate on wealth and inheritance tax and the planned early retirement pension, the SPD politician told the German Press Agency (dpa). She is presenting her annual report this afternoon, shortly before the 35th anniversary of reunification.

"35 years after German reunification, we still have entrenched wealth structures in Germany," said Kaiser. "This doesn't just affect East-West, but there really is a huge gap between rich and poor." The question is therefore: "How can we achieve equality of wealth?"

A "basic inheritance" would be a kind of state-financed start-up capital for young adults. With the early-start pension, people save for old age from childhood with state help.

Inequality and a bad mood

Kaiser sees unequal living conditions as a reason for alienation between East and West. In a Forsa survey, three out of four East Germans said that they tended to see a divide between the two parts of the country.

In this regard, the East German commissioner said that there was a need to catch up in the East in terms of wealth, wages and the establishment of large companies, as well as when it came to filling management positions. "Of course, this also has an impact on people, especially in times of crisis. Of course, people feel this especially when their ability to deal with it is less well developed than in West Germany, for example."

Future center should help

In order to improve the mood between East and West, it is important to know the perspective of the other and to get into conversation, the Thuringian told dpa.

The Future Center in Halle an der Saale will be a place for this. The planned building will certainly not be completed for a few years. However, the program will already be held in provisional rooms. "This should really pick up speed next year," said Kaiser.

"Not like rabbits in front of a snake"

With a view to the AfD's potential electoral success in eastern German states such as Saxony-Anhalt and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, the SPD politician said: "Of course, I'm also very concerned that a party that is right-wing extremist in my opinion may come into power."

However, it is important "that we don't just stand like rabbits in front of a snake". The government must take action, analyze the reasons for the distrust in political parties and manage expectations, i.e. not promise too much and defend compromises. "I believe that many people need this clarity in order to regain trust," said Kaiser, but qualified: "We will certainly not win everyone back."