After massive friction in the traffic light coalition, Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) is trying to dispel doubts about the cohesion in his government. At the beginning of the two-day cabinet retreat in Meseberg, Scholz spoke of a “good meeting to ensure that we as the federal government work closely and closely together”. There is a willingness “to work closely together in a serious situation for the good of the country”. In view of the escalation of the energy crisis and recently considerable quarrels in the coalition of SPD, Greens and FDP, the closed conference, which is actually taking place routinely, is this time an attempt at a liberation for Scholz.
Scholz announced that the federal government would “very quickly” be able to present the third relief package that had been announced for weeks in order to cushion the consequences of rapidly rising prices. The coalition partners should agree on the scope, details and financing of the package by the end of the week. This week there will be very careful discussions about how “a relief package that is as tailor-made as possible, as efficient and as possible as possible for the citizens and our companies” can be launched, said Scholz. It’s not just about securing the energy supply, but also about “dealing with inflation so that nobody is left alone with their problems”.
Scholz was obviously trying to keep an optimistic tone. The federal government was able to do what was necessary “to get through this winter and next winter,” he said. Germany is a “strong country” and can look to the future with confidence and self-confidence. Economics Minister Robert Habeck (Greens) was also confident. Many decisions had been made “to make the situation manageable,” said Habeck, with a view to new gas deliveries, the filling of storage facilities and the construction of LNG terminals. This shows “how capable of acting and how determined this government is working for energy security in Germany”.
“My mood was never bad,” said Habeck about the climate in the coalition. There is a “basic tension” in the current situation. For the coalition, however, that doesn’t mean “that we don’t talk and act with each other in a friendly and collegial manner.” He now also has a “good suggestion” to “push free riders off the footboard” in the gas levy. Companies have to prove that they are systemically important. The quantities to be procured would have to be relevant for the company itself. In addition, companies should not pay out government aid for bonuses and dividends.
The Greens are calling for a staggered flat-rate energy price
While the cabinet is meeting in Meseberg, the factions of the SPD, Greens and FDP are also coming together for closed meetings this week. The Social Democrats have already submitted their own paper on what they think the next relief package should look like. This includes, among other things, a further energy price flat rate, which this time should also benefit pensioners and students, but only up to a certain income for employees. At this point there are intersections not only with the Greens, but also with the FDP.
The FDP parliamentary group will meet in Bremen from Wednesday and has now also outlined what requirements it places on a new aid package. The Liberals also want one-off aid for certain groups: In the current financial year, “any further one-off state support” as crisis measures before the coming winter “should be concentrated on those who particularly need it”, especially pensioners and students, according to the paper .
The Greens are stepping up the pace, especially when it comes to relieving low earners. “We have to come to an agreement better today than tomorrow,” said parliamentary group leader Katharina Dröge at a meeting of the Green parliamentary group leader in Potsdam. The Greens are calling for a new energy price lump sum, which is staggered according to income. They also want to enforce higher standard rates for basic security, increase child benefit and, in addition to a nationwide 49-euro ticket, also introduce a regional 29-euro ticket for local transport.
The SPD parliamentary group, on the other hand, wants a nationwide 49-euro ticket, FDP boss and finance minister Christian Lindner puts the brakes on. Transport Minister Volker Wissing will “ensure simple, nationwide coordinated and affordable (just not almost free) public transport tariffs,” he wrote on Twitter on Tuesday. The parliamentary group’s relief paper states that a “nationwide uniform and simple digital public transport ticket” should be “consolidated even without the permanently impossible state price subsidy”.
The FDP calls for a stretching operation for nuclear power plants
The initial situation in energy policy is hardly less conflictual. The results of the stress test for the power grid are expected in the next few days – and with them a decision as to whether the remaining nuclear power plants should run longer than planned. “Now all the stops have to be pulled out so that we can get through the winter and the next few years safely,” says another position paper by the FDP parliamentary group, which the Süddeutsche Zeitung present.
According to the FDP text, the planned decommissioning of the three nuclear power plants that are still in operation would aggravate the current energy crisis. There is a threat of “not only reduced grid stability, but also supply bottlenecks in southern Germany, the worsening of the electricity crisis in France and, last but not least, higher electricity prices and more CO₂ emissions”. In the paper created under the leadership of parliamentary group leader Lukas Köhler, a stretching operation for the nuclear power plants is required. That would “not only noticeably reduce the demand for scarce natural gas,” electricity prices would also be “noticeably dampened.”
As a guest at the closed conference, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez emphasized solidarity with Germany. As soon as the infrastructure is in place, his country wants to help with gas supplies so that countries like Germany “can no longer be blackmailed” by Russia. The subject of the retreat was also the security strategy planned by the federal government for the first time. It is about a strategy “that thinks about all departments and includes all policy areas,” said Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens).