Ahead of the coalition committee meeting scheduled for Sunday, Saxony-Anhalt’s Minister-President, Sven Schulze (CDU), is urging the federal government to quickly pass decisions regarding the high prices of gasoline. Speaking to the “Tagesspiegel” on Saturday, he stated, “We now need noticeable relief that reaches consumers and companies that depend on their vehicles quickly. Because it is clear: even with a permanent peace in the Middle East, it will take a long time for prices to settle at a manageable level”.
The Magdeburg chief minister criticized the Federal Cartel Office, saying it is not intervening. He argued that “the gouging at the gas stations continues-despite stricter rules” prompting him to question the utility of an authority that does not act.
Schulze also noted that the call for faster action seems contradictory to the announcement from CDU party leader and Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who had spoken on Thursday about another “deliberation process” extending “in the coming days and weeks”. While understanding that the federal government might be deliberating on the right approach during the energy price crisis, Schulze believes that the major disagreements cannot be publicly aired for much longer without further unsettling the population. “The time for discussion is limited” he said. He believes that arguments must eventually lead to decisions.
Furthermore, Schulze emphasized, “We cannot afford a prolonged period of uncertainty”. In his view, this period can last only a few more days at most. He expects that by the latest, following the coalition committee meeting on Sunday and the party meetings on Monday, which also involve the federal states, the federal government will act in unison and establish a clear course.
