In order to save the energy supplier Uniper, the federal government put together a rescue package in the summer. Part of it: the controversial gas surcharge, which was supposed to pass on the additional costs of energy companies when procuring gas to the citizens. With the nationalization of Uniper, many now consider the gas surcharge to be largely superfluous. This view is also taking up more and more space within the traffic lights, and the criticism of Economics Minister Habeck is getting louder.
Lower Saxony’s CDU boss, Bernd Althusmann, also sharply criticizes the process: “With this SPD-led traffic light, the madness now has a method,” he criticized to FOCUS online. For him, the sudden about-face by the governing parties in terms of the gas levy is primarily a sign of incompetence. “The gas surcharge is socially unfair and also legally questionable and the traffic light government is apparently no longer convinced of its own actions,” says Althusmann.
The fact that it can probably no longer be abolished in time for its originally planned introduction on October 1st enrages the CDU top candidate for the elections in Lower Saxony: “To put it plainly again: millions of gas customers should be asked to pay to save large companies who now being nationalized. You can no longer explain that to a reasonable person.”
Althusmann is therefore calling for an end to the “traffic light hustle and bustle” and pleads for an energy price cap that would relieve all citizens. “The significant reduction in gas and electricity prices is the real problem. Instead, new packages are always packed. The traffic light lost its bearings during the crisis,” he emphasizes.
The federal government has meanwhile announced a quick solution to the future of the controversial gas surcharge. The structure of an overall solution will become visible “very quickly” in an orderly process, a government spokesman said on Monday. He referred to the gas surcharge and a planned gas price brake. A commission on such a brake met and worked very well.
In circles of the Federal Ministry of Economics it was said that an “orderly replacement” of the gas surcharge would make sense. However, alternative financing is important in order to ensure the stabilization of the gas markets. This is being discussed in the government and in the coalition.
In the traffic light coalition, more and more politicians are of the opinion that the gas surcharge should not be raised. It is scheduled to come into force at the beginning of October, but payments on account will not be due until the end of October. The surcharge would mean significant price increases for all gas customers.
