After his proposal for a sugar tax failed at the CDU national convention, Schleswig‑Holstein’s Minister President Daniel Günther announced that he would seek to advance the measure through the Bundesrat. “The idea of a sugar tax is still very much alive” the CDU politician told the “Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland”. He added that his state association had secured a clear resolution at the party’s state convention and “some support” at the national level, and that other states had expressed sympathy for the proposal. With these points in place, Schleswig‑Holstein plans to use the remaining avenues-most notably the Bundesrat-to push the tax forward successfully.
Günther expressed frustration with the debate that unfolded at the party convention. “None of the arguments that were raised had anything to do with youth protection” he said. “It was a defensive discussion, because people believed that a sugar tax would burden the economy”. He countered that the opposite is true, citing examples from other countries such as the United Kingdom, where sugar taxes have proven effective. “We will keep doing the persuasion work” he added.
Opponents of the proposed consumption tax on high‑sugar drinks, and of limiting the sale of energy drinks to 16‑year‑olds, called for education rather than outright bans at the CDU convention. They also worried about an additional burden on the economy. According to Günther, a sugar tax is not a market‑oriented tool but an opportunity to curb health‑care costs. Above all, he emphasized that the measure concerns the health of people.
