The Greens sharply rejected Economy Minister Katherina Reiche’s (CDU) push to expand gas subsidies in Germany.
In a statement to the Funke‑Media‑Group Sunday editions, Julia Verlinden, deputy chair of the Greens’ parliamentary group, called Reiche’s plans “complete madness”. She added that “after this week nobody can deny it: the gas lobby sits inside the Economy Ministry”.
Reiche defended her proposal by arguing that Germany has its own gas reserves. “We have our own reserves in Germany” she told the newspapers. She stressed that the key question is whether gas can be supported under favourable conditions, especially given the limited resources and the challenging geopolitical climate. “We have to weigh environmental interests and raw‑material supply very carefully” she said, affirming that both concerns are legitimate.
The proposal would revive gas promotion through fracking, a technology that remains banned in Germany since 2017 because of groundwater contamination risks. Fracking involves injecting chemicals under pressure into deep rock layers to extract trapped gas.
Reiche also pointed out that the federal government has allowed the Netherlands to explore a gas field in the North Sea, arguing that Germany should be able to do the same, despite legitimate marine‑protection concerns. “We can’t indefinitely rely on importing unpopular measures from our neighbours” she said.
Verlinden countered: “The federal government must finally present a strategy for effectively reducing gas consumption. Only through decisive action can we ensure affordable energy, protect the climate, and safeguard our livelihoods”.