Reiner Haseloff - the federal government must declare a national emergency

Saxony-Anhalt's Prime Minister Reiner Haseloff has asked the federal government to declare a national emergency in view of the energy crisis. The federal states could also take out loans for support measures, the CDU politician told the Phoenix television station on Friday. "The federal government must declare the emergency so that we can constitutionally suspend the debt brake (...) and take out additional loans."

According to his assessment, further support measures may be needed after the federal government's 200 billion package. “We all have to observe a constitutional situation that is different from that of the federal government. And as a result, it requires the federal government to declare the national emergency with a clear chancellor majority," Haseloff said. Fast action is required here. In many companies, production is already being shut down. "We need the markets and the population to calm down," demanded Haseloff. The numbers of those who went to demonstrate rose.

The heads of government of the states of Schleswig-Holstein and Saxony also voiced sharp criticism of the federal government. They demand more speed when relieving. "The lack of willingness on the part of the federal government to pull together with the federal states is not at all appropriate in this crisis," said Schleswig-Holstein's Prime Minister Daniel Günther (CDU) on Friday in the Bundesrat. People might expect clarity. What the federal government is doing at the moment is “absolutely insufficient”. The federal government must be more concrete.

Saxony's Prime Minister Michael Kretschmer (CDU) said: "In this national crisis, the federal and state governments, the municipalities, we all have to stand together as a society." The hand of the states was outstretched. “We don't understand this political style of the current federal government. We want us to treat each other sensibly and talk to each other.” It is not possible to provide people with “sedative pills”.

Günther said: "People can't do anything with 'double boom' if they don't know what it means for them personally." Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) had spoken of a "double boom" when announcing a billion-dollar defense against high energy prices . He recalled his statement from the Corona crisis that the state aid at the time was about getting out of the crisis with “boom”.

During consultations between the federal and state governments on Tuesday on relief for citizens and companies, there was no agreement on many financing issues. At the weekend it is expected that a commission of experts set up by the federal government will present a proposal for the planned gas price brake.

Brandenburg's Prime Minister Dietmar Woidke (SPD) announced state aid for companies and public institutions at Phoenix. The prerequisite, however, must first be clarity about the gas and electricity price brakes of the federal government. The state government will then assess the need for further support. "But the basis must be that the federal government makes it clear where these 200 billion will end up and what will they do."

Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania's Prime Minister Manuela Schwesig (SPD) said that the federal and state governments should then come together quickly and discuss what the Commission's proposal means in concrete terms. Citizens who already have to make higher advance payments and cannot afford it need answers. The federal and state governments would soon have to agree on open financial issues, at the latest for the next planned consultations on October 20th.

Meanwhile, the federal government launched the so-called defense shield on Friday to relieve citizens and companies. The Ministry of Finance submitted a draft for upgrading the Economic Stabilization Fund to the departmental vote. According to the draft, the Ministry of Finance is to be authorized this year to take out loans of 200 billion euros for the fund.

The Economic Stabilization Fund (WSF) as a special fund is intended to cushion the consequences of the energy crisis in the future, in particular price increases for gas and electricity in Germany, according to the draft. This was available to the dpa news agency on Friday.

Among other things, the planned gas price brake is to be financed via the WSF. In addition, financially troubled energy suppliers are to be supported, who have to procure replacements on the market at high prices due to the lack of Russian gas deliveries. The controversial gas levy planned for this purpose was abolished.