Amid rising fuel and energy prices, the socio-democratic wing of the CDU has called upon the black-red federal government for a gesture of relief this weekend. Dennis Radtke, chairman of the Christian Democratic Workers’ Party of Germany (CDA), told the “Tagesspiegel” (Saturday edition) that he “would really like the signal to come from the coalition committee this weekend-both in terms of content and communication-that: We see how difficult things are for many people in this country, and therefore, we are putting targeted relief measures into place”.
This call came after Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) had stated during a press conference on Thursday, in response to a “Tagesspiegel” question regarding potential relief measures, that, “You shouldn’t count on short-term decisions”.
Radtke described the current price trends at gas stations and in supermarkets as “a real burden on people’s wallets and on the economy”. He added that the psychological factor is also important. The CDA chairman noted, “Of course, no government in the world can provide full compensation for the consequences of geopolitical events, but if it creates the impression that people are left alone with their fears and worries, the consequences are fatal”.
Furthermore, he pointed out, “The fear of no longer being able to cover ongoing costs despite working hard is very real for many. Half the population has no savings. The trust in democracy and in the government is worrying”.