Luisa Neubauer, a prominent figure of Fridays for Future in Germany, expressed her dissatisfaction with the current high fuel prices. Speaking to RTL and ntv, she stated that what is actually needed is a form of mobility that allows people to travel sustainably from point A to point B. According to Neubauer, the current situation forces people to pay at the fuel pumps a cost reflecting the unsustainability of the entire mobility system. She advocates for people to use public transport, such as buses or trains, instead of sending money to, what she referred to as “oil autocrats”.
To help ease the financial burden, Neubauer called for a more affordable Deutschlandticket (Germany Ticket). She argued that the current fuel discount amounted to as much money in two months as the entire year’s cost of the ticket, and might not even be effective. She suggested that such measures disproportionately help people who can afford cars and who tend to travel the longest distances.
The climate activist also criticized politics for failing to learn from the energy crisis of 2022. She questioned what energy crisis the federal government was waiting for before it would honestly admit that the existing system is not functional, not resilient, and not fit for the future. She further accused Economy Minister Reiche of obstructing the energy transition, which she believes will cause Germany to lose more renewable industry to China and become even more reliant on “oil autocrats”-calling this an “abyssal disappointment”.