GEG comes quickly into the Bundestag
Scholz jumps to the side of Habeck in the heating dispute
05/26/2023, 07:08 am
The heating law heats up traffic light minds. Because although the FDP ministers approved the draft in the federal cabinet, they are blocking the timetable of the Greens and SPD. Chancellor Scholz speaks of a lively discussion – and then expresses a mini power word in favor of the Greens.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz has promised a speedy revision of the controversial heating law, so that it will be in the Bundestag by the beginning of July. “Everyone involved has this ambition. And everyone has assured that the open questions will be discussed very quickly,” the SPD politician replies in the “Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger” to the question of whether the law will be introduced in parliament before the summer break.
The draft for the Building Energy Act (GEG), as the heating law is officially called, is being discussed and improved in Parliament, emphasizes Scholz. All three factions of the coalition would work on this. The parliamentary summer recess lasts from 1 July to the end of August. There will be no meetings in the Bundestag during this period.
Nevertheless, even the chancellor cannot deny that the dispute between the FDP and the Greens within the coalition over the controversial law was more explosive than necessary. “I don’t hide the fact that these discussions could also be conducted quietly for my taste,” says Scholz in the interview. He explains the dispute with the high pace of change that the traffic light has set in: This sometimes leads to more lively discussions than if you wanted to change little or nothing at all.
Linder changes his mind
The core of the GEG from the house of Federal Minister of Economics Robert Habeck provides that new and replaced heating systems must be operated with at least 65 percent renewable energy from 2024. Pure oil and gas heating systems should therefore only be installed in exceptional cases. The SPD and the Greens want to discuss and, if possible, decide before the parliamentary summer break in the Bundestag. However, the FDP had blocked the introduction of the draft to Parliament. Habeck accused the traffic light partner of breaking his word.
FDP leader Christian Lindner rejects the accusation that his party wants to prevent the law. “Doing nothing is not an option,” said the Federal Minister of Finance. That would not be responsible, because the climate goals would have to be achieved. At the same time, however, one cannot demand the impossible from the citizens. However, the Greens and the SPD are annoyed that the draft law was unanimously approved by the federal cabinet in advance – and thus also by Lindner and the other FDP ministers.