Budget: Union wants to achieve lower electricity tax for everyone

Berlin – The CDU/CSU parliamentary group in the Bundestag does not want to leave the federal government's draft bill, which would initially provide energy price relief only for companies. "In the parliamentary process, we should seek solutions to reduce electricity taxes for private households as well," said CDU/CSU parliamentary manager Steffen Bilger to the "Tagesspiegel" (Tuesday edition). "We included the relief in our election manifesto and then in the coalition agreement for good reasons." Therefore, with regard to the cabinet decision from last week, he said, "he can absolutely understand the disappointment that now prevails among many." Ahead of the next CDU/CSU-CSU coalition summit this Wednesday, the CDU/CSU is insisting on the rapid implementation of the points in the coalition agreement that could bring cost savings. "The coalition committee must focus on how we can achieve a better balance between revenue and expenditure in the medium and long term," Bilger said. "Now that a draft budget with such high new debt has been presented, we should also urgently discuss how we can make progress on the reforms that will lead to savings." Especially with a view to the parliamentary budget debate in the fall, Bilger continued, "a signal is needed that the relaxation of the debt brake is accompanied by strict spending discipline." Both the so-called active pension and, through increased economic growth, the reduction of bureaucracy or a flexible maximum daily working time could contribute to easing the burden on the social security systems: "All of this has been agreed upon in the coalition agreement – ​​and the governing factions are awaiting draft legislation from the cabinet."