Following the Coalition Committee meeting, Left party parliamentary leader Heidi Reichinnek urged the government to implement immediate relief measures. Speaking to the “Rheinische Post”, she stressed that noticeable support is needed “now and not in a few months”. Reichinnek sharply criticized the government’s limited efforts, particularly pointing out that the negotiated fuel discount is “too small and not even fully passed on” to consumers.
She dismissed the concept of a “relief premium” as a political failure, arguing that the planned tax-free €1,000 payout was an initial sign of complete planning ineptitude and helplessness. She highlighted that the measure was never properly coordinated among all coalition members and was ultimately blocked by the federal council members of the governing coalition itself.
Addressing the coalition partners, Reichinnek called for the introduction of a windfall profit tax. According to her, the revenue generated from this tax should fund the reintroduction of the 9-Euro ticket as well as provide an energy crisis payment. Furthermore, she demanded that the government establish a profit margin cap to prevent corporations from hiking prices unreasonably, ensuring they only pass on genuine price increases reflective of their own procurement costs.