Bundestag: Haushalt bereit für Bundestag - weiter ohne Stromsteuer

The Bundestag has now approved the budget for the upcoming year, although it remains unclear whether the Union and SPD can fund a reduction in the nationwide electricity tax, which would amount to around €5.4 billion. The necessary funds were not included in the draft budget, and the 16-hour reconciliation session saw ministers of the Social Democratic-CDU coalition present their budgets and wait in line for extended periods.

Alexander Schweitzer, the newly appointed Minister of Labor, brought wine from the Palatinate to the committee's evening meal, while Defense Minister Boris Pistorius was the last to speak. The budget will now be around €560.9 billion, 5.5 billion euros more than initially planned by the government. Nearly 38% of the budget is funded through debt, with the committee approving almost €123 billion in loans within the core budget, four billion more than originally planned.

Additionally, billions in loans from special funds will be allocated to infrastructure (€57.8 billion) and the Bundeswehr (€29.6 billion), resulting in new debts of about €210 billion. The debt brake enshrined in the Grundgesetz is still maintained, as loans in special funds and certain defense-related debts are excluded. A major open issue is whether the nationwide electricity tax will be reduced to the EU minimum level in the coming year.

The Union hopes to finalize this issue during the coalition committee's meeting on Tuesday, with the SPD still needed to agree. Possible compromises may include using excesses from the EEG account to promote renewable energy and reducing support programs in the climate and transformation fund. However, the SPD and CSU have expressed reservations about these proposals.

If a compromise is reached in the coalition committee, it could still be introduced as an amendment to the final budget debates in the Bundestag from November 24-27. The open electricity tax debate foreshadows potential future negotiations, as a similar financing gap of around €25 billion is expected for future years, with even larger gaps projected for 2040.