The SPD chairmen Saskia Esken and Lars Klingbeil announced on Sunday evening that the originally planned gas levy will not come after all. Finance Minister Lindner had previously questioned the gas surcharge.
“I am firmly convinced that we will come to the end of the gas levy this week,” said SPD leader Saskia Esken on Sunday evening on ARD. “I think politics must have the power to correct mistakes,” said party leader Klingbeil on the same evening. He expects a decision in the coming days. That must now be clarified quickly in the government.
Federal Finance Minister Christian Lindner (FDP) had previously questioned the controversial gas levy at the weekend. In view of the additional costs for citizens and companies, “the economic question of meaning arises,” he told the “Bild am Sonntag”. Instead, the FDP leader called for a gas price brake. SPD leader Lars Klingbeil saw the gas levy “politically on shaky feet” and expected it that their fate will be decided next week.
Economics Minister Robert Habeck (Greens), who is responsible for the gas levy, has not yet specifically stated whether he will stick to it. The gas surcharge was primarily intended to give financial support to gas companies that got into trouble. After the federal government got involved with the gas giant Uniper, this project is again in question.
The gas levy should be 2.4 cents per kilowatt hour. It is added to the already high gas price. Most recently, the start of the levy was postponed from the beginning of October to the beginning of November.
