The CDU’s economic wing has strongly opposed the federal government’s plan to introduce a sugar tax on sweetened beverages. According to Gitta Connemann, chairperson of the wing, the move represents an attempt to create a “Nanny-State”. Instead of such a tax, she argues that the focus should be on education, providing clear consumer information, and implementing genuine youth protection measures. Connemann stressed confidence in the general population, asserting that people are “mature enough to make their own decisions”.
The CDU politician expressed concern that a special sugar levy sets a dangerous precedent. She warned that such state intervention could lead to an escalating series of restrictions, suggesting that if they regulate sweet snacks today, the next targets could be steak or even outdoor public physical spaces. She questioned who would ultimately decide what is permissible, what is merely expensive, and what will eventually become unwanted. “Where does state education begin, and where does it end?” she asked. She concluded that political action should aim to strengthen responsibility, not diminish freedom. This criticism was echoed by other members of the CDU parliamentary group.
The government proposes this carbon tax so that the resulting revenue can flow into the national health insurance system. While the CDU has debated the issue extensively in recent months, the context of the tax’s establishment remains contentious. Notably, Daniel Günther, the Prime Minister of Schleswig-Holstein, was a prominent proponent of the sugar tax, though his push failed at the CDU’s national party convention in Stuttgart.