Everything has to go: The members of the Bundestag do not have much time in this legislative period to push through innovations.

So people work almost around the clock in the Reichstag.

The finance committee had a lot to deal with in the penultimate week of its meeting before the summer break.

Three bills were therefore on the plenary agenda on Thursday, some of them so late that one should actually speak of Friday.

The legislative late births include: firstly, the law "to defend against tax avoidance and unfair tax competition" - with which European defense mechanisms against "non-cooperative tax areas" are implemented in German law.

Second, a reform of the recently reformed property tax, with which the calculation base is updated - which gives an idea of ​​what can be expected in the federal states that do not implement their own models.

More is required of smokers

Incidentally, the amendment is pushing 6.5 billion euros into the states, even though they are financially better off than the federal government.

But that is a topic of its own.

The third law, which was due in the night, concerns the tobacco tax.

Again, more is demanded of the smokers.

It is expected that the increases will make cigarette packs more expensive by 10 cents each over the next two years, followed by two further 15-cent steps in 2025 and 2026.

Switching to e-cigarettes, tobacco heaters and water pipes does not really help, as the tax authorities hold their hands here too.

The additional revenue is estimated at just under 2 billion euros at the beginning and more than 4 billion euros in the end - with revenues from the tobacco tax of 14 billion euros, that's a big move.

Unlike pensioners, however, smokers have few political friends - after all, they endanger their health. Those affected inhale a special consumption tax, which keeps public protest within limits. At the same time, the reform is designed in such a way that there is no price shock that could keep people from smoking. Only if they continue indulging in their vice will the finance minister make money. There is always a touch of mendacity about the tobacco tax.