Sahra Wagenknecht, founder of the BSW party, is demanding a dramatic intervention to address rising fuel prices, calling for both a halving of the fuel tax and the implementation of a state price cap. Wagenknecht criticized political inaction, stating that it constituted “omission of aid and gross ignorance” that politicians are abandoning drivers.
The BSW politician argued that the state must at least cut fuel taxes by half and prevent the “shameless exploitation of market power” carried out by mineral oil corporations. She asserted that sacrificing one in every two tax euros would be the absolute minimum required given the current economic situation.
In addition to tax relief, Wagenknecht called for an urgent summit at the Federal Chancellery. Emphasizing the severity of the issue, she insisted, “We need a fuel price summit at the Chancellery. The summer recess cannot be an excuse for this.” She stressed that high fuel prices are not merely a distraction during the summer but are “existentially threatening” for many citizens.
According to the BSW founder’s proposal, the state should also impose a ceiling on fuel costs. By pairing the tax reduction with a price cap, similar to those used in other countries, exploitation could be halted. She suggested that a realistic fuel price ceiling would be 1.50 euros.
Contextually, the Federal government had previously lowered the energy tax on petrol and diesel for two months after the Iran War began. However, that discount expired at the end of June. According to the ADAC, fuel prices are now significantly higher than they were before the conflict between the US and Iran broke out.
