The political summer break begins on July 7th. By then, according to Habeck’s will, the so-called Heating Act should have been passed. The coalition must now show its ability to govern, he demands.
Economics Minister Robert Habeck is pushing for an early agreement in the coalition on the controversial heating law. The Building Energy Act has occupied Germany long enough, said the Greens politician on Tuesday in Berlin before a conference on the expansion of renewable energies. “That kept the coalition busy, not just for the better. Many debates have been held. It doesn’t get better if you let it go.” It is now about more than the Heat Act. “The government should already be demonstrating its ability to govern.”
In the traffic light coalition of SPD, Greens and FDP, there have been discussions at parliamentary group level for days about the Building Energy Act, the so-called Heating Act. A decision was expected on Tuesday as to whether the draft law would be discussed in the Bundestag for the first time this week – the FDP had previously prevented this.
“You have to want it too”
The Building Energy Act is being dealt with intensively “at the moment”, said Habeck. There are many corridors of agreement. “We have taken many more steps to expand the possibilities. If you want, you can come together. But you have to want it now.” And if you don’t want to, then it’s not because you can’t reach an agreement, but because “obviously” the last bit of energy is missing.
Habeck called it central that the heating law is passed before the summer break, so that people would have planning security. The summer break begins after July 7th. The heads of the coalition had agreed that the heating law would be passed before the summer break.
The draft law passed by the cabinet stipulates that from the beginning of 2024 every newly installed heating system should be operated with at least 65 percent green energy. The switch is to be socially cushioned by state funding. There should also be transitional periods and hardship regulations. However, the FDP calls for fundamental changes.
Source: Stern
