As the current fuel discount approaches its expiration date, calls are growing louder for its extension. Berlin’s governing mayor, Kai Wegner (CDU), has specifically called for the measure to be extended beyond June. Wegner told Tagesspiegel that given the rise in fuel prices, the discount “must naturally be extended beyond June”. He emphasized that many citizens are struggling to make ends meet due to increasing energy and food costs, stating, “We desperately need relief, especially for the middle class”. However, he noted that alternatives to the fuel discount should also be considered, suggesting that a fuel price cap-as implemented in other countries-or a suspension of the CO₂ tax would be even better options.
Similarly, Manuela Schwesig (SPD), the Prime Minister of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, has voiced support for an extension, asserting that the discount must remain in effect as long as fuel prices stay as high as they currently are.
In contrast, Daniel Peters, the CDU’s top candidate in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, advocates for a different form of relief. According to Tagesspiegel, if the fuel discount ends, the CO₂ tax should be abolished until further notice. Peters explained that this measure would make diesel and petrol approximately 20 cents cheaper. He added that the revenue generated from the tax supports the Climate and Transformation Fund, stating that “a slightly slower pace in that area is manageable” and noted that waiving the CO₂ tax could lead to a boost in investment.
Armin Willingmann, the SPD’s top candidate in Saxony-Anhalt, remained cautious regarding the extension, telling Tagesspiegel that it is currently impossible to give a serious answer. He explained that the development of raw oil prices is heavily dependent on the situation in the Middle and Near East, and “nobody can reliably predict how the situation will unfold until the measure expires”.
Dennis Radtke, Chairman of the CDU Social Wing, also expressed reserve. He advised Tagesspiegel that a definitive yes or no on extending the fuel discount should not be decided hastily now. He anticipates that a major reform package is slated for June, and the question of concrete measures and relief should be discussed at that time. Any relief measures, he insisted, must be “as precisely targeted and structural as possible”.
