The reduction of 7.5 cents on petrol prices is only a short-term measure, Bausch explained.
If prices continue to rise, low-income families will continue to struggle, which is why more targeted measures are needed. Poor people need more help, while those that are better-off need little to none, the Greens politician noted.
He explained that the current administration is fighting many crises at the same time and always needs to focus on the best interest of the general population. It thus remains a priority to find common ground to get everyone through these difficult times.
The Deputy PM also stressed that the administration has not forgotten the promises that were made at the beginning of the legislative period. He emphasised that the government will maintain the index mechanism.
Asked about the question of a “capped index”, Minister Bausch acknowledged that this possibility has been on his mind for some time. However, he explained that unions will not accept this avenue, fearing that it might disrupt wage structures. In that regard, Minister Bausch thinks that it first needs to be established what a low, mediate, and high income even is.
One listener raised the question why taxes on petrol are not simply temporarily halted. The Greens politician responded that the government needs this income to reinvest in public infrastructure, such as roads.
Another topic was increased support for heat pumps, which have become much more efficient, explained Bausch. However, this only represents one part of the energy transition, which has to be viewed as a long-term process.
