Gas allocation: All against Habeck - now even some Greens
Created: 08/26/2022, 10:07 am
By: Marc Beyer
Faced with headwind from his own party when it comes to the gas levy: Economics Minister Robert Habeck (Greens) © Michael Kappeler/dpa
There were reservations about the gas levy early on.
But since the names of the potential beneficiaries have been known, criticism of Robert Habeck's plans has been growing.
Munich – The voice is busy, the speaker has to clear her throat several times, but the rough throat is her lesser problem at this moment.
A journalist asked when a company would benefit from the planned gas surcharge.
Specifically: does it have to be in acute need or does the allocation also secure profits?
The spokeswoman for the Federal Ministry of Economics, which shows a video from Monday, is having a hard time with the answer.
No, she finally says, "an imminent insolvency" is not a requirement: "We believe that a company must also make a profit."
The gas levy has been causing unrest in the country since the plans became known at the end of July.
With a surcharge of 2.41 cents per kilowatt hour, consumers are to be charged from October to support gas suppliers who, due to the failure of Russian supplies, now have to buy the raw material elsewhere at soaring prices.
The regulation is to apply for a year and a half, and the amount of the surcharge can be adjusted to the gas price every three months.
A utility may claim 90 percent of its additional costs.
Habeck in the criticism: It was to be expected that the opposition would work on the gas levy
But since the names of the companies that have filed claims became public this week, the criticism has sounded even more strident.
Because among the twelve energy companies are not only the acutely affected Uniper and Sefe (formerly Gazprom Germania), which should receive the largest part.
But also companies like the Austrian OMV or the Swiss company Gunvor, which made billions in profits in the first half of the year.
It was to be expected that the opposition would work their way through the gas levy.
At first it was about technical aspects, now about the question of potential beneficiaries.
The Left speaks of "expropriation", the Union of "wrong way" and "hooliganism".
The CDU environmental politician Thomas Heilmann recommends to the government: "Put it together, make it new."
What is more remarkable is that the Green Economics Minister Robert Habeck is now faced with headwinds from within the coalition – even from within his own party.
Sarah-Lee Heinrich, federal spokeswoman for the Green Youth, complained in
Der Spiegel
that the government should “focus on the well-being of the people and not the right to profits”.
Such an imbalance cannot be explained to people “who do not know how to get through the winter”.
In general, Habeck's allocation plans were "the wrong way from the start".
Robert Habeck and the gas levy: The resentment has finally arrived at the traffic light
The openly expressed displeasure has finally arrived at the traffic light.
Heinrich's reservations coincide at least in part with those of SPD and FDP representatives.
The social democratic party leader Saskia Esken emphasizes in the
Rheinische Post
that companies "that earn more than good money in other sectors" should and could help themselves.
RWE or Shell voluntarily waived their claims.
"Minister Habeck," Esken now demands coolly, "must ensure that services from the gas levy do justice to the overall economic situation of the corporations."
FDP energy expert Michael Kruse also complains that his party wants to use the levy "only" to support companies "that are in a market-threatening imbalance".
Habeck would be well advised to sharpen up at this point.
That is exactly what the Economics Minister now apparently wants to do.
Even the support that Habeck receives from Klaus Müller sounds a bit like hidden criticism.
The levy is "more accurate than its reputation, even if it has not been openly understood so far," says the head of the Federal Network Agency (and party friend Habecks) of the
Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung
.
He also sees a need for repairs.
He is certain "that future amendments to the law can ensure more transparency".
(Marc Beyer)
Also read our Merkur commentary on the gas levy, the Greens and Robert Habeck's chancellor ambitions.
(Traffic lights ahead of big tasks - you can find out what the SPD, Greens and FDP are planning in our political newsletter.)
