With "Maybrit Illner": Von der Leyen bursts in the middle of the traffic light Zoff - "Skip profits!"

Created: 2022-09-02 12:33 p.m

Ursula von der Leyen, connected to "Maybrit Illner" on Thursday evening.

© Claudius Pflug/ZDF

Energy prices are a concern.

In "Maybrit Illner" Ursula von der Leyen bursts into the traffic light dispute with a demand.

Even an FDP minister gets his fat off.

Berlin – “Stop prices, but how?

The traffic light is under pressure;

does she even have a strategy in this energy and climate crisis?” Maybrit Illner asks at the beginning of her ZDF talk on Thursday.

The cabinet met this week at Schloss Meseberg.

For the time being, however, the team of ministers did not decide on concrete relief in view of the rising energy prices.

A third relief package is now to be launched at the weekend.

Eva Quadbeck: Klingbeil has lost his nerve

But before that, Illner would like to know from the journalist Eva Quadbeck whether Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck (Greens) has “gone from a poster boy to a goof boy”.

"Don't be fooled by the peace, joy and pancakes at Meseberg Castle.

Habeck made a serious technical mistake with the gas allocation,” says Quadbeck.

Nevertheless, she is irritated by the SPD's reaction, which she describes as "Schadenfreude and relief".

Relief that the currently most popular politician in Germany does not succeed in everything.

“It is remarkable that the criticism does not only come from the second row, but from the party leaders.

Klingbeil also lost his nerve there," says the

journalist. 

When asked about the necessary measures, Greens boss Ricarda Lang leaves no room for other views: "We need direct payments for autumn and winter, as well as a follow-up regulation for the nine-euro ticket." Christian Dürr also has no doubts.

"It is the most uncomplicated public transport ticket in Europe, and it is important to build on that," says the FDP parliamentary group leader in the Bundestag.

But it is clear that this is not possible for 9 euros.

Otherwise, the costs would have to be financed from taxpayers' money, which is currently not an option.

"Maybrit Illner" - these guests discussed with:

• Ricarda Lang (Greens)

   – Party leader

• Christian Dürr (FDP)

   – Chairman of the Bundestag faction, switched on

• Ursula von der Leyen (CDU)

   – EU Commission President, switched on

• Karl-Josef Laumann (CDU)

   – Minister for Labor and Social Affairs in North Rhine-Westphalia, switched on

• Luisa Neubauer

   – climate activist, Fridays for Future

• Eva Quadbeck

   – journalist at the editorial network Germany (RND)

A clip is intended to illustrate how the annual gas prices have developed as a rule of thumb.

For a single household from 430 euros to 1,073 euros, for a two-person household from 888 euros to 2,463 euros and for a family from 1,258 euros to 3,633 euros.

Dürr therefore proposes inflation compensation through tax relief, "this goes directly to the people".

Climate activist Luisa Neubauer admits that she is worried herself.

In the discussion about future reactions, however, the question of how it could have come to this is neglected.

"This is the result of decades of mismanagement that we have experienced in energy policy." That is why Germany has become dependent on Vladimir Putin's coal and gas.

Lang recalls the “Easter package”: “We have tripled the pace of expanding renewable energies.

We have finally set the two percent target, meaning that two percent of the total area must be used for renewable energy.

We will make difficult decisions this winter, but the path to independence is renewable energy.”

Neubauer: What are we protecting right now, the coalition climate or the global climate?

There is objection, of all people, from Neubauer, who says that this is not enough.

There are solar systems that are ready but not connected because there are no certificates.

You can still be much faster.

"And the question is also what else is being done?" says Neubauer.

"Renewable energies are being expanded a bit" and it is "quite faster than it used to be".

Luisa Neubauer as a guest on "Maybrit Illner" © Screenshot: ZDF media library / maybrit illner

"At the same time, other ministries are refusing to work," claims Neubauer, before taking on the Ministry of Transport.

This refuses to comply with climate protection goals and to submit climate plans.

She is harsh with the FDP minister: "It is so serious what Volker Wissing is producing that would be grounds for dismissal in any other professional field." Parts of the government would try, but let themselves be infiltrated by other parts .

Even the party to which Luisa Neubauer belongs does not get off scot-free: "Even the Greens have to ask themselves: What are we protecting right now, the coalition climate or the world climate?"

Dürr jumps to the side of his party colleague.

"Volker Wissing has presented a number of things in the context of climate protection," is his general answer.

Dürr promotes more creativity: "How would it be if our 42 million cars in Germany could also be CO2-neutral as combustion engines?

We should campaign for that in Europe, keyword: climate-neutral fuels.” Dürr's response to other allegations from the group is also interesting.

"Volker Wissing inherited a mortgage from his predecessor," says Dürr, giving his predecessor Andreas Scheuer (CSU) a dig.

Von der Leyen: Profits are skimmed off

Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who joined for five minutes from Brussels, announced that the European Union would work to ensure that expensive gas no longer affects the overall electricity price, but that cheaper electricity also reaches households.

Von der Leyen is even surprisingly clear and makes a clear plea for an excess profit tax: “That means we will skim off part of the profits that the electricity producers never expected.

It goes without saying that the electricity producers of dirty energies also have to make their contribution.”

When Illner asked about the excess profit tax, Dürr avoided the question.

Instead, he calls for a new electricity market design, analogous to von der Leyen.

"The fact that the expensive gas determines the price no longer works that way." Lang hopes for a "winter of solidarity instead of winter of anger".

It is clear, however, that more energy is required.

The only question is where this should come from.

Karl-Josef Laumann (CDU) emphasizes that the Union also wants a massive expansion of renewable energies.

Then the minister explains why this has not worked satisfactorily so far: “The specifications were such that it took at least two or three years to get a wind turbine approved.

There are also very simple problems.

Just find a craftsman who will install the photovoltaic system for you.” Laumann would like to fall back on coal and nuclear power until renewable energies cover the demand: “There is no one in Germany who wants to get away from the principle of using coal.

Only the exit must now be slower.

Also continue to operate the three nuclear power plants that we have at our disposal,

Conclusion of the "Maybrit Illner" talk

While the political guests all made diplomatic statements - there is no doubt about a quick switch to renewable energies - Luisa Neubauer takes a clear position.

Surprisingly, Ursula von der Leyen advocates an excess profit tax.

Ricarda Lang is also hoping for a "Winter of Solidarity", while Christian Dürr doesn't want to have anything to do with it.