Will the billions for the electricity tax still be found?

During the longest session in the Bundestag, every cent is turned over during the night so that the federal budget for 2027 is in place. At the same time, the government leadership is seeking billions for a reduction in electricity taxes. Can

Analysis Cut in electricity tax Where are the billions now? As of: November 13, 2026 • 9:36 a.m

During the longest session in the Bundestag, every cent was turned over during the night so that the federal budget for 2027 was in place. At the same time, the government leadership is seeking billions for a reduction in electricity taxes. Can she still find them?

When the 2.06 meter tall Labor Minister Alexander Schweitzer stands in front of the Budget Committee, he stands out. Not just because it's the biggest, but also the new one. For the first time, the Labor Minister has to explain his budget, which he inherited from his predecessor Bärbel Bas, at the most important meeting of the Budget Committee.

He brought wine from the southern Palatinate, a gift for the budget politicians, he says. Its budget accounts for more than a third of the total federal budget. Something that is criticized every year is why the state has such high social spending and there may be a lack of money for other projects. Schweitzer says he is prepared for the meeting. But yes, it was just his first time.

In the so-called adjustment session, the final changes to the draft budget for 2027 will be made. more

This time there is also a first for budget politicians. Because in the end, it's not just billions of dollars that are being fought for, but small projects should be made possible. But now everyone's eyes are on this meeting. Can the billions be found here to fulfill the Chancellor's promise to finance an electricity tax cut? What scope is there anyway?

Suddenly it's about more than just small numbers and items in budgets. It's about promises that the Chancellor made when cutting electricity taxes and was unable to keep them. It's about anger in the Union faction. Because she is dissatisfied with the results of the budget negotiations so far and would have liked more for Union projects.

Threats are being made behind closed doors that they may not want to agree to the federal budget as a whole. But it is also about trust in how the federal government handles taxpayers' money.

After the budget discussions, the federal government's compromises will be discussed. more

This session, in which the 2027 federal budget is supposed to be finalized, is suddenly charged with importance. During the breaks there is talk about winners and losers, who negotiated better with the coalition leadership in order to push through their projects.

It is unlikely that billions will be found here at the meeting that night. Small items at most, amounts in the millions. At the end of the meeting there is a budget that is the largest in the Federal Republic to date, with around 560.9 billion euros - and the question is still: Why can't less than one percent of that, i.e. five billion, be found for the electricity tax reduction.

The top government agrees that solutions must be discussed by the coalition committee next Tuesday. In the ARD Tagesthemen, CDU politician Paul Ziemiak says: "I am confident that, if everyone wants to, we can start to reduce the electricity tax." So can it work? He is cautiously optimistic. A feeling he shares with the budget politicians that night.