AfD deputy leader Kay Gottschalk recently shared surprisingly positive comments regarding heat pumps and electric vehicles. Speaking to the newspaper “Das Parlament”, which is published by the German Bundestag, Gottschalk noted his personal transition to sustainable technology, stating that he has owned a heat pump for a year, a photovoltaic system for four years, and an electric car from a German manufacturer, expressing genuine enthusiasm for these changes. He strongly advocated for heat pumps, asserting that nothing heats a home more economically than a heat pump and debunking the myth that they are limited only to underfloor heating systems.
However, Gottschalk signalled several necessary changes in his own party’s policy agenda. He stated that the German EU exit plan (“Dexit”), which the party adopted at a conference in 2022, is no longer supported by the majority. Regarding agriculture, he demanded an end to EU subsidies, declaring that farmers do not require such support.
Furthermore, he indicated that the party must adjust its approach to pension policy. While the current program still aims to equalize Germany’s pension level with Austria’s figure of 70 percent, he admitted they must be honest about the reality, stressing that the focus must shift significantly toward private savings and capitalized funds. To establish a capitalized pillar, he proposed channeling a portion of the child benefit into a state fund invested in capital markets. He also suggested that revenue generated from highway tolls could be directed into such a fund.
When questioned about raising the retirement age, Gottschalk responded that the required age would vary greatly by profession. He contrasted highly educated careers-such as those of lawyers, architects, controllers, software engineers, or journalists-who can work beyond the age of 65, with manual trades.
Finally, concerning the Grand Coalition’s annual balance sheet, Gottschalk praised certain tax measures, specifically the reduction of the corporate tax and energy tax, alongside the increase in the commuter lump sum. Nevertheless, the AfD politician concluded that these specific measures collectively failed to go far enough.
