Energy prices: “broken word”? The government’s electricity tax problem

Does the new coalition break a central promise? The black and red government alliance puts pressure on the cancellation of a quick electricity tax reduction for everyone. NRW Prime Minister Hendrik Wüst (CDU) told the Editorial Network Germany (RND) that the reduction in electricity tax for everyone to the European minimum measure was clearly decided in the coalition agreement between the Union and the SPD. He could only warn Federal Minister of Finance Lars Klingbeil (SPD) of causing a break in the coalition agreement at this crucial point.

The trade association Germany and the Bundesverband consumer center were similar. In a letter to Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) available to the German Press Agency, the decision on electricity tax is a “fatal signal” and a severe breach of trust compared to millions of citizens in Germany. The coalition should not let private households down.

The head of the social association Germany, Michaela Engelmeier, called the decision to make energy only cheaper for companies and not for consumers, an absolutely wrong sign. The President of the Federation of Taxpayers, Reiner Holznagel, spoke of a “broken word” in the “Bild” newspaper.

Announcement in the coalition agreement

The CDU, CSU and SPD have announced in the coalition agreement to reduce electricity tax for everyone to the European minimum size – and thus also relieve private households. However, Schwarz-Rot does not give a year, but speaks of an “immediate measure”: “As an immediate measure, we will reduce the electricity tax for everyone to the European minimum size and reduce the levies and network charges,” it says literally.

The electricity tax for private consumers is currently 2.05 cents per kilowatt hour (kWh). The European minimum size is 0.1 cents per kWh. A reduction would not only relieve private consumers at electricity costs, heat pumps or electric cars could also be more attractive.

Klingbeil defends decision

Finance Minister Klingbeil said in the Bundestag that everything that was in the coalition agreement was under the subject of financing. However, the coalition will quickly send a first clear signal to lower energy prices and make it competitive. Relief is planned from January.

The SPD boss referred to the planned reduction in network charges as part of the electricity price. In addition, gas customers should no longer have to pay the gas storage levy in the future, and the electricity tax for the manufacturing trade will be reduced. That already costs a few billion. Klingbeil sees the federal budget under consolidation pressure.

Dispute in the coalition is bought

Union politicians in particular demand that the government still lowers electricity tax for everyone. Wüst said that Klingbeil not only pushes craft, trade and service providers with his plans, but also millions of families. They also need noticeable relief from the much too high electricity prices. Other politicians from the CDU and CSU had previously commented.

The SPD counters. The decision on electricity tax is “of course closely coordinated in the coalition,” said Secretary General Tim Klüssendorf of the “Bild” newspaper.

However, there are also votes for a change of course in the SPD. Brandenburg’s Prime Minister Dietmar Woidke called on the federal government to reduce electricity prices for the entire economy. “We need fairness – and that means all economic areas. And I hope that the federal government will still think about these questions,” said the SPD politician at the state government’s summer festival:

The dispute over electricity tax is likely to continue. The government also criticizes many of the medium -sized companies. After a long economic stagnation, the mood had recently improved, institutes increased their economic forecasts. The government plans to relief with tax depreciation. However, the electricity tax could now become a real problem for the government, especially when it comes to medium -sized companies.

However, the budget is far from being dry, the Bundestag is now on the train. In the parliamentary process, the electricity tax reduction could still be decided for everyone. For this, money would have to be shoveled elsewhere – it is about tens of billions of euros.