energy crisis
The left demands a stop to electricity exports
Dietmar Bartsch speaks at the Federal Party Congress of the Left in Erfurt. photo
© Martin Schutt/dpa
While energy prices in Germany are skyrocketing, Germany continues to supply electricity abroad – especially to France. Left-wing politician Dietmar Bartsch finds that absurd.
In view of the sharp rise in energy prices, the left is calling for German electricity exports to other EU countries to be suspended. “We need a moratorium on electricity exports from Germany to other European countries,” said Dietmar Bartsch, co-group leader of the “Augsburger Allgemeine”.
“It is difficult to explain to the citizens why the need to save and skyrocketing prices should apply in this country when electricity is exported in large quantities at the same time,” he criticized. “The fact that gas is also used for this is not conveyable.”
It is absurd “if countries like France only delay the energy transition, then consumers in this country foot the bill, while at the same time electricity prices in Germany are the highest in the EU,” said Bartsch.
He also called for the tax on electricity to be reduced. “Electricity must go from being a luxury back to being common property,” said Bartsch. “But the price of electricity must not continue to rise: the electricity tax must be reduced to a minimum, and a low-cost basic quota – based on average consumption – introduced.”