Fuel costs: Katherina Reiche assaults the SPD within the gasoline value debate | EUROtoday

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Federal Economics Minister Katherina Reiche (CDU) has clearly criticized the proposals within the dispute over attainable reduction in view of excessive gasoline consumption SPD practiced. “In recent weeks, the coalition partner has attracted attention by making proposals that are expensive, ineffective and constitutionally questionable,” Reiche stated at a press convention.

She gave a “clear rejection” to an extra income tax for mineral oil corporations – as proposed by Federal Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil (SPD). This is a measure “that was rejected and rejected by the courts and is controversial in Europe.”

Increase within the commuter allowance

Refineries that need to pay such a tax are “an important location factor” in Germany, stated the minister. Weakening refineries is “the wrong signal at this time. Rather, we must do everything we can to strengthen Germany as a refinery location.”

Instead, she advocated a short lived improve within the commuter allowance and a mobility bonus. She additionally advised briefly lowering the diesel tax in an effort to assist the products and logistics trade. This must be counter-financed with the federal authorities’s increased VAT income as a result of elevated gasoline costs.

Criticism from the SPD

After their press convention, the Social Democrats accused Reiche of habits that was damaging to the coalition. “The statements made by Federal Economics Minister Reiche are very strange,” stated SPD parliamentary secretary Dirk Wiese Rhenish Post. They “massively questioned the cohesion of this coalition,” stated Wiese. “One has the impression that Minister Reiche has unfortunately not yet taken office.” This week particularly, the Economics Minister solely attracted consideration as a result of “she doesn’t want to relieve the burden on citizens at the gas station.” But that can not be performed with the SPD.

Reiche made the press assertion concurrently the vitality disaster summit Lars Klingbeil. He invited representatives from enterprise and commerce unions to Berlin to speak concerning the challenges.

According to Reiche, the leaders of the Union and SPD need to speak about attainable reduction within the coalition committee on Sunday. So far there isn’t any compromise in sight, the concepts differ extensively. In addition to an extra income tax, Klingbeil additionally spoke out in favor of a versatile gasoline value cap.

Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) doesn’t count on fast reduction. The federal authorities is “in close dialogue”, however one shouldn’t count on short-term selections, stated the CDU chief. The Chancellor rejects an extra income tax. However, he was open to the next commuter allowance and a decrease electrical energy tax.

https://www.zeit.de/wirtschaft/2026-04/spritpreise-bundeswirtschaftsministerin-katherina-reiche-uebergewinnsteuer-kritik-spd-gxe