Wealthy Germans demand to pay higher taxes

A group of rich Germans are petitioning the government to have wealthy citizens pay higher taxes. They have argued that if the wealthiest people paid a 5% wealth tax for two years Germany could raise 100 billion euros. This money could then be used to fund economic and social programs that, according to the petitioners, would aid Germany's economic recovery. They have made it clear that they do not believe donating money would be enough and that is why they are calling for a change in the whole approach.

So far the petition has 44 signatures and they plan to present it to Chancellor Angela Merkel when ready. One signatory, Peter Vollmer, told AFP news agency that he supported the petition because he had inherited "a lot of money I do not need". The group also held a demonstration on Wednesday in which demonstrators tossed fake bank-notes into the air, but its turnout was, as far as the organizers were concerned, less than satisfactory. Vollmer commented that it was "really strange that so few came".

source

By Anna Mandrell