---
title: "Greens in Bundestag Demand Super-Rich Tax: Up to 4% Rate for Fortunes Starting at €10 Billion"
description: "The Greens parliamentary group in the Bundestag has introduced a wealth tax initiative targeting fortunes over €500m with rates up to 4%. Opponents warn of capital flight and a net treasury loss of up to €31bn annually."
date: 2026-11-13T10:44:34.146Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/greens-bundestag-super-rich-tax-germany
tags: [germany, bundestag, green-party, wealth-tax, fiscal-policy, economy]
author: "Marina Slivenko"
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# Greens in Bundestag Demand Super-Rich Tax: Up to 4% Rate for Fortunes Starting at €10 Billion

![Bundestag session in Berlin with blue seating and the federal eagle on the wall](https://xab.info/media/2026/11/13/zelyone-bundestag-nalog-na-sverhbogatyh-germaniya/zelyone-bundestag-nalog-na-sverhbogatyh-germaniya-1.webp)

## Key Points

- The Greens group introduced a three-tier wealth tax initiative to the Bundestag: 2% over €500m, 3% over €1bn, 4% over €10bn
- The group estimates potential revenues at ~€20bn annually and claims the tax would affect only a few hundred people
- The Taxpayers' Union, citing a Ministry of Economy study, forecasts a net reduction in tax revenues of €24–31bn annually
- The initiative was submitted against the backdrop of a €109bn federal budget deficit for 2028–2030

On November 13, 2026, the Alliance 90/The Greens parliamentary group in the Bundestag submitted an initiative to introduce a tax on ultra-large wealth in Germany. The proposal targets individuals whose net worth exceeds 500 million euros and provides for a three-tier taxation scale. The initiative was put forward amid acute discussions over the federal budget deficit and growing pressure on the social sector.

### Three-Tier Scale: From 2% to 4% of Net Wealth

According to the text of the initiative, the tax-free allowance is set at 500 million euros. For fortunes exceeding this amount, a rate of 2% on net wealth is proposed. For fortunes over 1 billion euros, the rate rises to 3%, and for fortunes of 10 billion euros and above, it increases to 4%. The parliamentary group emphasizes that the tax would affect only a «few hundred» people in the country; however, according to their estimate, by closing existing tax loopholes, the state could generate an additional 20 billion euros per year.

### «The Ultra-Rich Pay Less Than Social Workers»

Karoline Otte, representing the Greens on the Bundestag's Finance Committee, stated in an exclusive comment to Euronews: «The ultra-rich in Germany pay less in taxes than social workers. That is why we are demanding the introduction of a wealth tax starting at 500 million. The federal government is currently arguing through the nights, trying to patch together a budget that cuts precisely from those who are already forced to count every euro. In Germany, a majority has long favored a wealth tax — it is time for us to take this into account.» The group also points to «fairness gaps» and «market inefficiencies» in the tax system, citing as an example the possibility of inheriting over 200 apartments and a fortune exceeding 26 million euros virtually tax-free, whereas average inheritances are taxed in the standard manner.

### A €109 Billion Budget Hole as the Trigger

The Greens explain their initiative by pointing to the strained situation with the federal budget. According to data published by the federal government in August 2026, the budget for 2028–2030 faces a total deficit of approximately 109 billion euros: about 22 billion in 2028, 39 billion in 2029, and 48 billion in 2030. Furthermore, the group argues that tax reliefs, in particular the reduction of corporate income tax, primarily benefit the top one percent of the population. According to them, the concentration of private capital and its further growth are precisely what deepens inequality.

### Lobbyists and Taxpayers Oppose: Risk of Capital Flight and Lower GDP

The initiative immediately drew harsh criticism from business lobbies. Thorsten Alsleben, managing director of the New Social Market Economy initiative (INSM) — a lobby organization funded by employers' associations — told Euronews: «INSM rejects a wealth tax. It would additionally burden the German economy, weaken investment incentives, and promote the outflow of capital and affluent taxpayers.» According to him, instead of new taxes, policy should review government spending and support economic growth.

### Ministry of Economy Estimate: Net Loss of €24–31 Billion Annually

Reiner Holznagel, president of the Taxpayers' Union, also spoke out against the initiative, citing a study by the Federal Ministry of Economy. According to him, introducing a wealth tax would lead to «employment, production, consumption, and consequently gross domestic product shrinking.» Despite additional revenues from the tax itself, taken together, this study indicates that tax revenues would drop by 24 to 31 billion euros per year. Holznagel urged officials to «strengthen economic growth and consistently utilize the potential for spending cuts in public budgets.»

Thus, the Greens' initiative faces a fundamental divergence regarding its fiscal consequences: the parliamentary group estimates potential revenues at 20 billion euros, while opponents, citing a departmental study, forecast a net loss for the treasury of 24 to 31 billion euros. The fate of the proposal now rests on further parliamentary debates and the stance of the coalition government, which, in the words of the Greens themselves, is «arguing through the nights» trying to balance the budget.

## Accounts differ

### Fiscal impact of the proposed ultra-large wealth tax

- **Alliance 90/The Greens parliamentary group in the Bundestag:** By eliminating existing tax loopholes, the state could generate an additional 20 billion euros per year ([ru.euronews.com](https://ru.euronews.com/2026/11/13/germany-rich-taxes-green))
- **Taxpayers' Union (Reiner Holznagel), citing a Federal Ministry of Economy study:** A wealth tax would reduce employment, production, consumption, and GDP; despite additional revenues from the tax itself, overall tax revenues would decline by 24 to 31 billion euros per year ([ru.euronews.com](https://ru.euronews.com/2026/11/13/germany-rich-taxes-green))

*Where they agree:* The initiative to introduce a wealth tax for fortunes over €500m has been submitted to the Bundestag; a significant federal budget deficit for 2028–2030 is acknowledged by both sides

## Fact-Check & Sources

- [Зелёные в Бундестаге требуют налога на сверхбогатых с состоянием свыше 500 млн €](https://ru.euronews.com/2026/11/13/germany-rich-taxes-green) - Primary source: full text of the initiative, quotes from Karoline Otte, Thorsten Alsleben, Reiner Holznagel, and data on the 2028–2030 budget deficit. All facts in the article were verified against the source text.

## FAQ

### What is the tax scale proposed by the Greens?

The tax-free allowance is €500m. For amounts over €500m, the rate is 2% of net wealth; over €1bn, it is 3%; and over €10bn, it is 4%.

### How many people would be affected by the proposed tax?

According to the Greens parliamentary group, the tax would affect only a «few hundred» people in Germany.

### What arguments do opponents of the initiative raise?

INSM warns of weakened investment incentives and capital flight. The Taxpayers' Union, citing a Ministry of Economy study, argues that the tax would reduce employment, production, and GDP, while net tax revenues would fall by €24–31bn annually.

### What is the size of the federal budget deficit cited by the group?

According to federal government data published in August 2026, the total deficit for 2028–2030 is approximately €109bn: €22bn in 2028, €39bn in 2029, and €48bn in 2030.