2023-08-17 19:07:52
Economics Minister Robert Habeck, Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Finance Minister Christian Lindner before a cabinet meeting in the Chancellery. Image: dpa
Investment incentives, basic child security, industrial electricity: These are not the only points of conflict with the traffic light. Why the second half could be even more uncomfortable than the first.
Things are not going well for Economics Minister Robert Habeck (Greens). Not only that his party friend and family minister, Lisa Paus, vetoed the Growth Opportunities Act, which is intended to ease tax burdens on investments in climate protection. What Habeck found out about on vacation. Late on Wednesday afternoon, Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) then spoke out quite clearly against Habeck’s planned industrial electricity price. “We cannot afford a debt-financed flash in the pan that will fuel inflation again, or a long-term subsidy of electricity prices with the watering can and will therefore not exist,” said Scholz at the Entrepreneurs’ Day in North Rhine-Westphalia.
There was immediate resistance from the SPD. The deputy parliamentary group leader Matthias Miersch wants the industrial electricity price. “I think we’ll be able to convince him of that,” he said, referring to the Chancellor’s negative attitude. Both SPD prime ministers and the unions have been putting pressure on for weeks to subsidize the price of electricity for industrial companies. Habeck wants to finance this by taking out loans from the Economic Stabilization Fund. Finance Minister Christian Lindner (FDP) is against it and has – so far – the Chancellor on his side. There is a lot to talk about at the cabinet meeting at Schloss Meseberg on August 29th and 30th.
#Greens #SPD #FDP #threaten #disputes