The heads of the traffic light coalition want to decide this Saturday on the third relief package for citizens and companies, which has been discussed for weeks because of the sharp rise in energy prices.

The FAZ learned this on Friday from party circles.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD), Economics Minister Robert Habeck (Greens) and Finance Minister Christian Lindner (FDP) as well as the party and parliamentary group leaders of the traffic light parties will take part in the meeting of the coalition committee, which is scheduled to begin in the morning.

The agreement is expected to be presented on Saturday.

Markus Wehner

Political correspondent in Berlin.

  • Follow I follow

SPD faction leader Rolf Mützenich promised on Friday a "massive package" to relieve the citizens.

The SPD will stand up for direct payments in the round.

They are intended to benefit people with low and middle incomes, pensioners and students.

However, the FDP is skeptical about one-off state payments and prefers exemption from taxes and social security contributions.

The SPD is also committed to an excess profit tax in order to skim off "unfair profits" on the energy market, said Mützenich at the end of the SPD parliamentary group's retreat in Dresden.

The Greens propose a flat-rate energy price, which should be graduated according to income.

As a successor to the 9-euro ticket, the Greens advocate a regional ticket for 29 euros per month and a nationwide 49-euro ticket.

The SPD also proposes the latter.

The FDP is also in favor of a nationwide ticket for local public transport, without naming a price.

The coalition partners are largely in agreement about a housing benefit reform starting next year, the introduction of citizen benefits and the correction of the so-called cold progression, to which the FDP attaches particular importance.

It is unclear whether there will be a gas price cap for the basic needs of households, which the SPD, but also the opposition Union wants.

The Union also wants to stop the gas levy planned from October 1st, as announced on Friday.

In view of the traffic light majority in the Bundestag, this is considered unlikely.