As of: January 26, 2024, 11:00 a.m
By: Hannes Niemeyer
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In the ZDF morning magazine, Habeck speaks about the energy transition - but the interview turns into an open skirmish with presenter Mitri Sirin.
Berlin – The energy transition is stalling.
However, the federal government's plans and the central strategies of Economics Minister Robert Habeck, for example with regard to power plants, are a long time coming.
Above all, there is a lack of money.
The eternal dispute in the traffic light coalition, including between Habeck and Finance Minister Christian Lindner, only complicates the situation further.
Because of the slow progress, Habeck regularly has to be asked critical questions about his energy transition plans.
This was also the case on Friday morning in the ZDF morning magazine.
The supposedly normal interview quickly developed into a kind of exchange of blows between the Vice Chancellor and moderator Mitri Sirin.
The ZDF man immediately hit the Green politician with a marathon question.
Habeck has a skirmish in the ZDF morning magazine – “Oh dear, where do I start?”
“The expansion of renewables is going relatively well,” confirms Sirin at the start of the interview.
The electricity supply, when external factors such as wind or sun do not produce enough, will continue to come from old coal-fired plants, which are to be replaced by 50 gas power plants.
Cost: 40 billion.
According to Sirin, Habeck's “basic problem is resurfacing” - that the industry cannot go green without subsidies.
In contrast to Habeck, Finance Minister Lindner would not offer any help.
“When will the agreement come?” the ZDF presenter then wants to know.
Admittedly, a real marathon start to an interview shortly after 7 a.m.
Habeck also has to swallow first.
“Oh dear, where do I start now,” says the Economics Minister, who first has to “sort through all the points a bit”.
Habeck emphasizes that the expansion of renewables is going “really well”, that production is exceeding expectations and that Germany is back on track.
“The coal-fired power plants aren’t running at all,” he then mentions – along with a reference to the fact that Sirin “mumbled the point in a bit” in his question – only to then immediately correct himself: “We have them there as capacity, they It has to be said that the share of coal-fired power generation was lower in 2023 than it has been since 1965.
Habeck speaks on the ZDF morning magazine about the energy transition - he wasn't particularly happy about one question.
© Screenshot ZDF
Sirin and Habeck in a TV exchange of blows – “So, now you’ve talked a lot too”
Sirin wants to interrupt.
“You asked a lot of questions, I have to straighten that out for a moment,” the starting skirmish continues.
Habeck continues to expand on his power plant strategy and holds out the prospect of an early agreement.
“So, now you’ve talked a lot,” Sirin promptly adds, receiving a “You invited me” from the minister.
But financial resources are needed for a possible nuclear power agreement, the ZDF presenter mentions and sees Habeck always running into “this finance minister wall” and wants to know what “soon” means.
Habeck sees himself on schedule, but also knows: “It would be good if we got things together now.”
But the open exchange of blows between the two is far from over.
After a brief shift to solar energy, Sirin finally talks about Rainer Dulger.
The employer president caused a stir during the week when he emphasized at a CDU economic conference that he had “lost trust in the government” and expressed sharp criticism.
“He says that many companies – and I think he represents about a million – are losing patience,” Sirin mentions.
“What about the green miracle and how can you explain that to the economy?” he asks Habeck, who seems to be quite irritated by this statement.
Energy transition?
When asked about the company, Habeck grimaces in irritation
Habeck visibly contorts his face in astonishment and narrows his eyes in disbelief.
“That can’t refer to the expansion of renewable energies,” he replies with a barely noticeable shake of his head.
In the energy transition, “there is a real tailwind, the sound barrier has really been broken.
The criticism cannot relate to that,” he is certain.
And Habeck is actually right to a certain extent.
Dulger specifically referred to “overregulation, high taxes and duties, and labor shortages.”
Topics such as pensions or criticism of the heating law or rising social security contributions were also discussed, but the energy transition was not a focus topic - although rising prices and increasing bureaucratization certainly also apply to the energy sector.
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Habeck still has an answer ready.
This is due to the fact that a lot of energy came from Russia - which had to be absorbed first.
The energy supply has now been secured.
“Now the prices in retail are going down,” says Habeck, who also admits that it could take a while before the prices reach the companies.
Nevertheless, in a tense economic situation, you have to do your “homework”.
In other words: “Debureaucratize, more skilled workers, so that people can work beyond retirement age”.
The minister currently has other big plans to get the German economy going again.
Habeck also has a new pension plan in there.
(han)