The state premier of Hesse, Boris Rhein, has urged the German federal government, led by Chancellor Friedrich Merz, to reaffirm its commitment to reducing the electricity tax for consumers and to develop a concrete timeline for implementation. Speaking to “Bild am Sonntag” Rhein emphasized the importance of the tax reduction, noting that it is stipulated in the coalition agreement and is, in his view, a beneficial measure.
Rhein called for the swift creation of a plan outlining how this reduction can be achieved as quickly as possible, expressing confidence in the Chancellor’s leadership in driving this forward. He highlighted the necessity of now initiating discussions regarding budgetary priorities and identifying areas where funding might be reallocated to facilitate the electricity tax reduction.
His call aligns with similar expressions of concern from other CDU state premiers, including Hendrik Wüst (North Rhine-Westphalia), Daniel Günther (Schleswig-Holstein) and Reiner Haseloff (Saxony-Anhalt). While acknowledging the circumstances, Rhein underscored that the paramount goal should be stimulating economic growth, stating that achieving financial flexibility will be possible once the economy demonstrates renewed vigor.
Rhein also conceded that the current budgetary constraints, cited by the federal government as rationale for delaying the tax reduction, were not unexpected. He indicated that these financial challenges had been apparent in the states for an extended period and are now a widely recognized situation. He concluded by calling for a renewed focus and collaborative effort from all stakeholders to address the challenges ahead.