Carsten Linnemann, the CDU’s general secretary, has rejected proposals for a fuel‑price cap but urged tighter oversight of the market. Speaking to RTL and ntv, he said, “We need a market‑power check”. He believes that major companies are exploiting their position, noting that they did not purchase gasoline and diesel yesterday but are bound by contracts that have been in place for weeks or even months.
Linnemann warned against the government’s daily attempts to offer relief that could actually lead to higher prices, calling for caution. He stressed the urgency of the competition authority stepping in immediately, adding, “This is not about social market economics; the state must intervene”.
