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SPD General Secretary Kevin Kühnert in mid-May

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IMAGO/Frederic Kern / IMAGO/Future Image

SPD General Secretary Kevin Kühnert has expressed optimism that the heating law, which is controversial in the coalition, can be passed before the summer break. He now considers this to be "absolutely realistic," said Kühnert on Thursday evening in the ZDF program "Maybrit Illner". He believes that the public has also noticed that many statements and requests to speak on the subject have changed significantly "in tone and quality".

He firmly believes that the law will be on the agenda for the first reading in the Bundestag session week in two weeks. "That's the prerequisite for us to get through the law before the summer recess." The summer break begins after July 7th.

After bitter disputes within the traffic light coalition of the SPD, the Greens and the FDP, there seemed to be increasing movement in the search for compromises this week. Federal Economics Minister Robert Habeck (Greens) was also more confident on Wednesday that the reform of the Building Energy Act – the so-called Heating Act – can be passed before the summer break.

The FDP wants fundamental improvements to a draft law passed by the cabinet. This stipulates that from the beginning of 2024 onwards, at least 65 percent of every newly installed heating system will be powered by green energy. The changeover is to be cushioned socially by state subsidies, and there are also to be transitional periods and hardship regulations.

Criticism of Chancellor Scholz's leadership style

Kühnert again rejected criticism of the leadership style of Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) on the issue. "If the law comes in the end, and it looks like it, then the strategy was the right one, because it did not prevent the desired path and success."

The SPD general secretary added that one could have contributed to the debate differently – "louder, more ordinary" – than Scholz did. But he is the one "who tends to work in the background to find solutions" and ensures that the goals of the legally valid climate protection law move forward.

KIM/DPA