Federal Finance Minister Christian Lindner assumes that the coalition will agree this week on relief for citizens in view of the high energy prices.
"Yes, that's very realistic," said the FDP chairman on Monday evening on the ARD program "Hart aber fair".
Rapid implementation is important.
His suggestion of a tank discount, which would be deducted directly from the fuel price that remains unchanged, also accommodates this.
"I am in favor of this discount because, in case of doubt, it can be decided directly (by the cabinet) without legislation, because the price at the pump remains the same," said Lindner.
"I would also like to talk about a tax measure - but it takes more time, it needs legislation."
Representatives of the SPD, Greens and FDP are negotiating additional relief.
Also under discussion are an energy money demanded by the Greens, which would be paid out directly, as well as an SPD initiative for a mobility allowance graded according to income, which could be transferred with the monthly salary.
Lindner: "Broad center shouldn't always just pay"
Lindner warned against focusing the impact more on low-income earners than on the “middle”, for which he cited engineers and police officers as examples.
The coalition has already done something for people who are dependent on basic security and housing benefit.
“But the broad middle of the population, who give an enormous amount of their performance, must not always just pay.
But they also have to experience that their needs are recognized.”
Government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit also announced “timely” decisions on Monday.
The specialist politicians of the three traffic light parties wanted to meet on Monday evening.
Criticism came from the SPD parliamentary group on Lindner's advance with plans for a tank discount.
"Of course we are working flat out to get relief," Hebestreit continued.
The high energy prices are a burden for everyone.
SPD parliamentary group leader Rolf Mützenich announced on Monday afternoon consultations in the coming “hours and days”.
"I want it to be quick," he added, but the solution then "must also be resilient."
Mützenich sharply criticized Federal Minister of Finance Lindner.
The FDP boss was "a bit hasty" with his push for a tank discount, he said.
"The Finance Minister started the debate relatively freely," said the SPD parliamentary group leader.
"I won't follow that."
Greens boss Omid Nouripour emphasized that the price increase is not only visible at the pumps, but also in heating costs, electricity prices and at the supermarket checkouts.
"All of this needs an answer that is socially just and makes sense in terms of the market economy." The Greens chairman said that no new gas heating systems should be installed in Germany in the future.
FDP Vice President Johannes Vogel stressed that no model was off the table - not even the fuel discount demanded by the FDP.
For his party it is "crucial" that "we can get relief for the broad middle".
For the FDP, this included “in particular the people who depend on the car”.
The environmental association WWF criticized that a flat-rate tank discount was "another climate-damaging subsidy, distributed with the watering can".
Rather, what is needed are “targeted instruments for particularly affected income groups”.
The head of climate and energy policy at WWF Germany, Viviane Raddatz, spoke out in favor of a mobility allowance graded according to income.
Federal Labor Minister Hubertus Heil (SPD) proposed such a payment.
For a new round of negotiations on the planned relief, the politicians from the SPD, Greens and FDP wanted to meet in the evening, according to coalition circles told AFP.
FDP Vice Vogel said that the coalition is striving for a quick agreement - but he does not assume that the legislation on this will begin in the Bundestag this week.