In view of the high energy and consumer prices, politicians are discussing further relief for citizens – and the right time for this. The deputy leader of the Greens, Andreas Audretsch, told the German Press Agency that people would have to be financially relieved if that was necessary. “That means in the fall, not next year.”
The SPD chairwoman Saskia Esken showed understanding for the call for early relief on Tuesday. “We’ll be fast, we’ll have to be fast,” she said on RTL/ntv’s “Frühstart” show. The federal government had already launched an initial relief package in the spring. “We were also very quick to implement that. And we will be able to do that this time too.”
From Audretsch’s point of view, the federal government should focus on people with low and middle incomes. “It’s time to get the relief compass clear,” said the Greens Vice. This also means relieving consumers at the same time if the planned gas surcharge is to take effect from autumn. According to Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD), the surcharge can lead to an increase in gas prices of two cents per kilowatt hour from autumn. Even without them, people have to be prepared for significantly higher gas bills.
Coalition disagrees on right solution
There is disagreement in the coalition of SPD, Greens and FDP about the right way to deal with this. Green parliamentary group deputy Audretsch criticized the abolition of cold progression brought into play by the FDP and the proposal for a higher commuter allowance as “wrong and absurd at this time”. These are measures that would primarily benefit top earners, he said.
Above all, the coalition partners are at odds with a possible excess profit tax. The special tax is currently being discussed because energy companies in particular are currently benefiting from the high prices caused by the Ukraine war. “When mineral oil companies make billions in profits, like they are doing at the moment, then there must be an excess profit tax,” Audretsch demanded. Everything else is “not communicable from a justice perspective”.
It should not be the case that gas prices are passed on to all consumers as a “solidarity measure” while corporations introduce above-average profits during the crisis, said Esken. “It’s unfair and we have to do it.” Economics Minister Robert Habeck (Greens) is also open to such a tax.
From Chancellor Scholz’s point of view, however, the special tax is currently not an issue, said deputy government spokesman Wolfgang Büchner on Monday. Federal Finance Minister Christian Lindner (FDP) rejects them decisively. And there is also resistance from his parliamentary group in the Bundestag. “An excess profit tax is legally uncertain, fiscal arbitrariness and poison for the economy, which is why Finance Minister Lindner and the FDP will not get involved,” said parliamentary group leader Christoph Meyer on Tuesday.
