The Return of Graichen: Ex-Energy State Secretary Vows to Re-enter Politics Amid Climate Policy Rollbacks
Ex-Secretary of State Graichen expresses intent to re-enter the political arena
In a candid interview with Süddeutsche Zeitung, Patrick Graichen, once the architect of the controversial Heating Law, discusses his dismissal two years ago and his plans to re-enter politics amidst climate policy reversals.
Blindspots and Reflections:Graichen reflects on his time as Habeck's energy state secretary, questioning his tunnel-visioned approach. "If you work 18 hours a day, you always have to step back three steps and ask yourself: What am I doing here?" he admits. The "witness affair" that led to his dismissal in May 2023 left him pondering his own misjudgments.
The Witness Controversy:Appointing a witness as the new head of the German Energy Agency was Graichen's personal mistake, he acknowledges now. The allegations of nepotism and escalating political pressure led to his dismissal, paving the way for Robert Habeck's removal as Federal Minister of Economics. "Ultimately, the goal was to topple Robert Habeck - or at least significantly weaken him," Graichen mentioned retrospectively.
The Heating Law Fiasco:Criticizing his perceived cold technocrat approach, Graichen admitted that he and the traffic light coalition hit a communicative roadblock when the FDP blocked subsidies for heating replacement programs. Graichen remembers this period as a crash, stating that the sleepless nights are a thing of the past.
Climate Change and Energy Dependency:Graichen's current plans involve a return to climate and energy policy. With the rise of interests seeking to increase gas dependency and question the goal of climate neutrality by 2045, Graichen feels compelled to engage "We are now in the phase: 'The Empire Strikes Back,'" he notes.
Interested parties are seeking to draw Graichen back into gas dependencies, sparking his desire to take action. Graichen's current activities include a seat on the supervisory board of the Ukrainian power grid operator Ukrenergo and plans for a book revolving around the fight for "clean power against dirty gas." "The job is only done when global warming is stopped," Graichen asserts.
Sources: ntv.de, mau
- Heating Law
- Gas
- Robert Habeck
- Reflecting on his time as energy state secretary under Robert Habeck, Patrick Graichen admits that communicative roadblocks, such as the FDP blocking subsidies for heating replacement programs, prevented a seamless implementation of the Heating Law.
- In the face of rising interests aiming to increase gas dependency and question the goal of climate neutrality by 2045, Patrick Graichen is spurred into action, drawing from his experiences in climate and energy policy.
- As a purposeful move against this push for gas dependency, Graichen envisions a book centered around the fight for "clean power against dirty gas," a project that embodies his commitment to mitigating climate-change and ensuring energy policy aligns with scientific and environmental-science principles in politics and general-news discourse.
