Overview

• The coalition narrowed the planned electricity tax cut to industry only, citing tight federal budgets and diverging from its contract pledge to include households.
• The CDU, CSU and SPD steering committee will meet next Wednesday to identify expendable spending for broader energy relief.
• Parliamentary chiefs Steffen Bilger (CDU) and Dirk Wiese (SPD) vowed to push the universal tax reduction through the upcoming budget process.
• Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil have defended the selective relief as a necessary step to protect the federal budget.
• Energy relief measures due in January—reduced network charges and abolition of the gas storage levy—remain on track.