Minister-President of Saxony-Anhalt, Sven Schulze (CDU), has advocated for the extension of the current fuel discount, while also defending the Bundesrat’s rejection of the federal “relief premium”.
Speaking to the “Rheinische Post”, Schulze highlighted that for a geographically vast state like Saxony-Anhalt, energy costs are critically important. He stressed that daily travel for commuters, care services, craftsmen, and farmers involves covering significant distances, making fuel prices a major financial drain. Consequently, Schulze proposed linking the continuation of the fuel discount to the resolution of the Middle East disputes, noting that this specific request has already been submitted to the Bundesrat.
Separately, Schulze defended the Bundesrat’s vote rejecting the federal relief premium. He acknowledged that both the states and the federal government intend to provide financial relief to citizens, but explained that the premium, in its current structure, is flawed and has failed to reach a sufficient number of people.
When questioned about whether the Bundesrat’s veto undermined the authority of CDU leader Friedrich Merz, Schulze shifted the focus away from any individual leader. He insisted that these are decisions made by the federal government as a whole, adding that states need to be better integrated into the decision-making processes concerning such major economic issues in the future.