In the energy crisis, Ursula von der Leyen is becoming more and more driven.

There is no other way to explain the frequency with which the President of the Commission makes new proposals to cushion the consequences for consumers and companies.

A price cap for Russian gas, liquidity support for suppliers, new gas price indices, savings targets for peak consumption times, a revenue cap for electricity producers and a solidarity contribution for oil and gas companies - who should keep track of all this?

There is no longer any trace of the sovereignty with which the Commission initially reacted to the Ukraine war (diversification of gas supplies, acceleration of the expansion of renewables).

After the extreme increase in electricity prices, quick solutions are needed.

"Millions need help," said von der Leyen in her "State of the EU Address."

In doing so, it focuses on one thing in particular: an “excess profit tax” for oil and gas companies and electricity producers.

She speaks of "solidarity contribution" and "income cap".

But those are just different names.

von der Leyen wants to skim off and redistribute tens of billions of euros in order to relieve private households and industry.

win is win

That may seem plausible and morally correct.

"It is wrong to profit from the war and make record profits at the expense of consumers," argues von der Leyen.

In addition, the states need money to prevent the high prices from triggering social conflicts and disrupting the economy.

So why not ask the "war winners" to pay up?

On the other hand, profit is profit.

No commission in the world can determine what part of it the companies – quote von der Leyen – “could never have dreamed of”.

In addition, the commission also meets the "good guys": the operators of wind and solar parks, who are finally making good profits.

They should actually be investing as much as possible right now in order to quickly reduce dependence on fuel from Russia.

Some advocates of skimming off profits have therefore argued that this at least prevents the worst: that the EU states suspend the electricity market and cap the price instead of letting supply and demand determine it.

This is the only way for the market to function efficiently.

In addition, the high price creates an incentive for consumers to save energy.

But now it's clear: After this winter, the competition could be over.

Von der Leyen gives in to pressure from France and other countries and lays the ax on the design of the EU electricity market.

A "profound reform" is to decouple electricity and gas prices, she announced in her speech for the coming year.

She certainly deserves the applause of those who don't understand the mechanics of Strommark.

But it is precisely this "coupling" that guarantees that electricity is generated from cheap energy sources as far as possible and that money flows into the expansion of cheap renewables.

If von der Leyen is serious about the Green Deal, she has to stick to it.

But to do that, she would have to become the master of her agenda again.