He’s not used to so much criticism and headwind…!
Huge frustration with Robert Habeck (52, Greens). The Economics Minister has triggered a wave of anger with his completely botched gas surcharge (2.4 cents per kWh). And is now even openly counted by top politicians at traffic lights.
► SPD leader Lars Klingbeil (44) accuses Habeck of “technical errors”, mocked in the “Zeit”: “In the end, it’s not just nice words that count in politics.”
► Interior expert Uli Grötsch (47) demands: “The structure of the allocation must be re-discussed.”
► The SPD-Left Ralf Stegner (62): “The exam in Meseberg (from Tuesday, editor’s note) is the right place and the right time to renegotiate the gas levy.”
Ultimatum to Habeck!
That also comes from the FDP! Group leader Christian Dürr (45): “Manual mistakes should be eliminated before the cabinet meeting.” State intervention should “not make the energy crisis worse”.
► Ex-FDP general Linda Teuteberg (41): “The fact that consumers do their bit in solidarity to ensure security of supply must not result in highly profitable companies receiving a surcharge from the citizens’ wallets.”
Red and yellow ultimatum to the Greens! By Tuesday, botch minister Habeck should stop the botch levy!
Then the government meets at Schloss Meseberg (Brandenburg) to chart the course for the next few months. If Habeck does not present a new concept, Chancellor Olaf Scholz (64, SPD) even threatens to have his say. A member of the government to BILD: “There is a coordinated approach between SPD and FDP, the chancellor is involved.”
Main criticism of Habeck: His botched levy makes gas even more expensive – and also goes to companies that make huge profits.
► The head of the Gastroverband Dehoga, Ingrid Hartges (62): “The gas surcharge is obviously wrongly designed. It drives gas prices even further up.” That threatens the existence of many companies.
► Markus Jerger (58), head of the BVMW SME association, to BILD: “The gas surcharge has to go! It causes businesses and citizens to bleed dry financially.”
On Sunday evening, the Economics Minister at least promised to change the gas surcharge. In this way he wants to prevent companies that make billions in profits from benefiting from the additional payments made by gas customers. Habeck in the “heute journal”: “We will solve this problem.”