"Are we here in the football stadium or what?" - Habeck shares against Union

Federal Economics Minister Robert Habeck (The Greens) has appealed unusually loudly to the opposition's responsibility in times of the energy crisis. Germany is facing multiple crises, Habeck said on Wednesday in the Bundestag. Inflation is high and a recession is imminent. “You have to let that melt in your mouth what this country is experiencing. And what are we hearing from the opposition? (...) 'The gas surcharge has to go!' Are we in the football stadium or what? Is this a demo?” the minister shouted.

The energy expert of the Union faction Andreas Jung (CDU) had previously called for the planned gas surcharge not to be introduced. “The gas levy is the big elephant in the traffic light area. You know she hit a wall, but nobody is openly saying it today," said Jung. In the afternoon, his parliamentary group had called for a topical hour in the Bundestag on the subject.

Habeck, who therefore came to the Bundestag at short notice, vehemently contradicted Jung. He described the Union as a "must-go opposition" that does not propose any alternatives. "What kind of answer is that? Ask me what I don't like, what I would wish for, what has to go. But that's not politics!” he exclaimed.

Habeck recalled that in a national crisis, the corona pandemic, the Greens supported the government's policy as an opposition party. "We didn't like a lot of the details that you were responsible for," said the former party leader. “But we always looked for responsibility when it came down to it. We have always supported your policy, even though we deviated from it."

The Union, on the other hand, has now decided in a situation of multiple crises “not to be a constructive opposition”. Instead of proposing an alternative to the gas levy, she makes “clumsy demands”. He misses honesty and responsibility. “You have chosen a path. I don't think it's the right one," Habeck said. "That's not how I imagine opposition."

The gas surcharge is intended to support important gas importers from October 1st. Private customers and companies that consume gas have to pay the additional surcharge of 2.419 cents per kilowatt hour. In the morning, when he announced his intention to nationalize the gas importer Uniper, Habeck emphasized that the gas levy should come. First, however, a financial constitutional review is necessary.