SPD and trade unions not engaged in discussions to reduce electricity taxes for all citizens - SPD and Labor Union Propose Universal Reduction in Electricity Tax Rates
Lighting Up a Controversy: Reducing Electricity Tax for All citizens under Scrutiny
About bloody time, muttered SPD politician Dirk Wiese in Bavarian media group's papers on Friday. "We're bloody well taking another look at it during parliamentary proceedings," he declared.
Similar voices calling for a reduction in the electricity tax cropped up from the Union as well. Wiese's CDU partner Steffen Bilger vowed an examination in the Bundestag budget procedure, "whether we can now still adjust things and make the electricity tax reduction for consumers a reality." Bilger further stated, "We need to do everything humanly possible to ensure this agreement from the coalition agreement is actually implemented."
On Friday, however, the federal government defended its plan to initially implement the tax reduction only for industry, agriculture, and forestry. In their coalition agreement, Union and SPD had agreed to reduce the electricity tax for all to the European minimum level. However, it was also noted that all measures are "subject to financial reservation."
The spokesman for the Federal Ministry of Finance underscored this point on Friday: The decisions taken are in absolute agreement with the coalition agreement.
On Tuesday, the cabinet approved the draft budget for 2025 and the financial plan until 2029. This also included three measures "to reduce energy prices overall," said the spokesman for the Ministry of Finance. These were the reduction of electricity tax for industry, agriculture, and forestry, the abolition of the gas surcharge, and the assumption of the so-called network charges.
These three measures are "financeable" and "currently financially responsible," the spokesman reiterated. And the task of the finance minister is to submit a soundly calculated budget. The measures were also coordinated with Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Minister of Economics Katharina Reiche (both CDU) in advance.
The representative of the Ministry of Finance also dismissed claims that only industry would benefit from the electricity tax reduction. "That's not the case," he emphasized. A total of 600,000 businesses would benefit, including the middle class and many small businesses.
The federal government has set itself the goal of reducing energy prices for everyone, said government spokesman Sebastian Hille. "And that's exactly what it's doing with the three measures," he claimed. "Financially justifiable and responsible from our point of view at the moment."
Similar demands also came from the states. "The middle class and private individuals must also be relieved of the electricity tax, as energy costs have risen sharply for everyone," said Berlin's governing mayor Kai Wegner, for example, in the "Tagesspiegel" on Friday.
He advocates "staying true to the promises made in the coalition agreement," said Saxony-Anhalt's Minister President Reiner Haseloff (both CDU), echoing Wegner's demand.
Criticism also came from the Greens. "Friedrich Merz is reneging on his word again - he's letting families and the middle class down," said parliamentary group leader Katharina Dröge in the "Bild."
- SPD
- Electricity Tax
- CDU
- Dirk Wiese
- Steffen Bilger
- Federal Government
- Coalition Agreement
- Bundestag Faction
- Bundestag
- Middle Class
- Bavaria
- SWR
- Friedrich Merz
Crunching the Numbers:With a potential two-cent reduction per kilowatt-hour, households in Germany could have saved around 200 euros annually on their electricity bills, according to recent stats. With electricity prices in Germany remaining among the highest in Europe and taxes and levies accounting for about 32% of the total electricity price, this reduction could mean significant relief for consumers.
SPD politician Dirk Wiese and Steffen Bilger from the CDU have both called for the European Parliament, the Council, and the Commission to revisit the policy-and-legislation regarding the electricity tax, particularly focusing on the reduction for consumers in line with the general-news about the coalition agreement. Both politicians are aiming to ensure the agreement's implementation, as the European Parliament, the Council, and the Commission play crucial roles in policy formulation and legislative decision-making processes. The electricity tax reduction is a matter of politics and public concern, given its potential impact on the middle class and the general public.
