German government argues over economy

Merkel and Scholz defend budget plans

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Finance Minister Olaf Scholz have defended their plans to increase government spending in the face of criticism from within their own coalition.

Speaking at a press conference in Berlin on Monday, Merkel said that the government needed to "invest in the future" in order to secure Germany's economic competitiveness.

"We cannot afford to stand still," she said. "We need to invest in our infrastructure, our education system, and our research and development."

Lindner calls for tax cuts

Scholz echoed Merkel's comments, saying that the government's spending plans were "necessary and responsible."

However, their comments were met with criticism from Christian Lindner, the leader of the Free Democratic Party (FDP), which is part of Merkel's coalition government.

Lindner called for the government to cut taxes instead of increasing spending.

"The government is planning to spend too much money," he said. "We need to cut taxes to stimulate the economy."

The German economy is facing a number of challenges

The German economy is facing a number of challenges, including slowing growth, rising inflation, and a shortage of skilled workers.

The government's spending plans are aimed at addressing these challenges, but it is unclear whether they will be enough.

The FDP's call for tax cuts is likely to be met with resistance from the other parties in the coalition government.

As a result, it is likely that the government will continue to debate its economic policies for some time.