Economist Veronika Grimm has sharply criticized the Federal Government’s decision to introduce a new fuel discount. She told the “Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger” that it is “cynical” to subsidize the use of combustion engine cars at the expense of the younger generation.
Grimm argued that this opportunistic politics is an attempt to avoid alienating voters, but ultimately, it will only cause many voters to become disillusioned with established parties because they are failing to truly govern effectively. This criticism applies to both those who disagree with the environmental impact of the measure and to entrepreneurs who are “simply shaking their heads at this short-sighted approach.”
According to the economist, because policymakers are focusing on short-term gains, they “lack the capacity for the truly important structural reforms.” Grimm further stated that this negligence is likely to result in greater loss of prosperity for citizens than the temporary increase in fuel prices. She concluded that it appears that politicians still do not grasp the severity of the stakes, a reality which the public is acutely aware of.
