Electricity tax: Is relief still coming for citizens?

Less taxes on electricity - for everyone. The CDU/CSU and SPD announced this after the federal election. But when will this tax cut come? "This is an, yes, it is an unpleasant topic. I say that quite openly," said Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) on Tuesday at the Berlin Chamber of Commerce and Industry. “I wished we could do that last year.”

But last year money was tight. And the government coalition decided: The electricity tax will initially only be reduced for companies in the manufacturing sector and for agricultural and forestry companies.

But that should change as quickly as possible. This is what the CDU/CSU and above all the Chancellor are demanding: "We are currently intensively discussing how we can do this. That costs around five billion euros, i.e. in tax revenue that we would not have." And that every year. "But we should do it."

Klingbeil sees “no scope”

Specifically, the aim is to reduce the electricity tax - from the current 2.05 cents to the European minimum of 0.1 cents per kilowatt hour. For citizens, that would probably be around five to ten euros less electricity costs per month - depending on the size and consumption of the household. For companies such as shopping centers or hotels, the amounts would of course quickly be significantly higher.

In principle, the SPD also wants the tax cut. Lars Klingbeil, party leader and Federal Finance Minister, says with a view to the 2027 budget - i.e. the financial plan for the coming year - he sees "no new scope".

And this week, SPD parliamentary group leader Matthias Miersch reiterated: "At the moment I can't give the all-clear. We would all do it, but the question is actually how can we finance it reliably and solidly."

Saving with the climate and transformation fund?

Andreas Mattfeldt has been a member of the Bundestag's budget committee for the CDU/CSU parliamentary group for many years: "If you want to make savings in order to finance something else, we have options."

The CDU politician tells the ARD capital studio that he made suggestions to the Chancellor a while ago about where cuts could be made. Especially in the climate and transformation fund, the central pot for many funding programs. He doesn't want to name specific positions, but emphasizes: "The will to do this has to be there. If it's there, you can certainly get it done. So far I hope that the will will come. At the moment, no one has approached me from the government."

Time is running out

There isn't much time left. Budget politician Mattfeldt also knows this. Next Thursday, November 12th, the budget package for 2027 will be finalized at the adjustment meeting: "That means something has to happen either this week or right at the beginning on Monday of next week. You know the time frame yourself, I think that's very risky."

Chancellor Merz himself, however, is still optimistic. On Tuesday he said: "This is a major effort for the budget. I have a few ideas in my head as to how we can implement this. We're talking about that this week. That's something that's coming up very specifically in the next few days."

So will the reduction in electricity tax really make a difference for everyone from next year? Many in the Bundestag are skeptical. But the pressure on the government is great - also because Chancellor Merz himself repeatedly raises expectations with statements about electricity taxes