Thuringia’s Minister‑President Mario Voigt has suggested temporarily suspending the CO₂ tax amid the energy‑price crisis triggered by the Iran conflict. He told the portal Politico that the CO₂ tax raises gasoline prices by roughly 15 cents, and that it would be inappropriate to add to that burden while energy costs are already high.
Voigt urges that the CO₂ tax remains suspended as long as electricity and fuel prices continue to stay elevated. “As long as the prices are so high, we should suspend the CO₂ tax” he said. He emphasized that people should not be left to feel that rising energy prices are simply tolerated. Instead, he calls for a pragmatic, limited pause on the tax.
The revenue generated by the CO₂ tax currently feeds into climate and transformation funds. Voigt noted that planned investments could be deferred if needed. “The money from the CO₂ tax goes into the transformation fund. We can perhaps make fewer future investments, but I believe that putting the money directly into people’s wallets now is the right approach” he explained.
At the same time, Voigt warned that failing to respond to the surge in energy prices would have consequences. “If we do not understand that we are not in normal times because of geopolitical crises and rising energy costs, and therefore need flexibility, then the simplifiers – in this case, the AfD – will benefit” he said.