"Ice cold winter" threatens in Germany: Söder makes general criticism
Created: 04/07/2022 15:49
By: Tobias Utz
Markus Söder, Prime Minister of Bavaria and CSU Chairman.
(Archive photo) © Christof Stache / AFP
Markus Söder predicts a "freezing winter".
Germany is trying too slowly to replace Russian energy supplies.
Munich/Berlin – Bavaria's Prime Minister Markus Söder has accused the federal government of having a wrong strategy regarding gas deliveries.
"There is a threat of an ice-cold winter," warned Söder after a meeting of the CSU presidium.
It is possible that Germany will be decoupled from Russia's gas market "step by step".
At the same time, there is a lack of actual alternatives on the energy market, which is due to the lack of action by the traffic light coalition.
"Other countries are faster," emphasized the CSU boss.
He cited Italy as an example, where a gas deal had already been signed with Qatar.
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Söder also raised general criticism of the federal government's energy policy.
He repeated his demand for a longer service life for nuclear power plants in Germany.
He again accused the Greens of only wanting to phase out nuclear energy for ideological reasons.
In addition, water energy must be promoted more, said the Bavarian Prime Minister.
Compared to Klaus Müller, President of the Federal Network Agency, who called on the population to save energy a few days ago, Söder asked for "sustainable strategies against the energy crisis".
“All functioning forms of energy are needed now.
It therefore remains a fundamental mistake to switch off nuclear energy.
To this end, hydropower is being slowed down instead of expanded.
If the south is weakened, the emergency situation for all of Germany will increase," he wrote on Twitter.
In order to relieve the burden on the population, he called for energy and electricity taxes to be reduced.
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Lars Klingbeil, Secretary General of the SPD, also warned of "dramatic months".
He also called on the population to save energy.
Above all, the consequences for the labor market must be cushioned, otherwise there is a risk of unemployment, according to Klingbeil.
(do with dpa/AFP)