In brief | 25 March '25
The Guardian: German parliament sits for first time with AfD as main opposition
Germany’s new parliament sits for the first time on Tuesday with the far-right Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) the strongest opposition faction, as negotiators seek to iron out key differences on tax and migration that are likely to dominate a new coalition government under Friedrich Merz.
Reuters: Fusion energy start-up Focused signs agreement with RWE, German state
U.S.-German start-up Focused Energy aims to build a fusion pilot plant at RWE's Biblis site by 2035.
DPA: German authorities raise charges against climate activist group
Munich prosecutors said on Monday that charges of forming a criminal association have been laid against five members of the former Last Generation (Letzte Generation) climate activist group.
The alliance consisting of E.ON, 1KOMMA5°, Octopus Energy, Schneider Electric, Rabot Energy, as well as the Federal Association of New Energy Industries (bne) and the General Association of Housing Industry (GdW), is calling in a joint position paper to systematically and cost-effectively integrate this enormous potential into the energy system by the end of this legislative period.
Reuters: Merz's spending splurge risks blowback among German conservatives
A bold move by Germany’s chancellor-in-waiting Friedrich Merz to ease longstanding caps on government spending has won praise internationally but signs are emerging of a domestic political blowback.
Bloomberg: EU energy tax bill includes special status for some sectors
A new version of the EU’s energy tax overhaul recommends giving “special treatment” to the bloc’s energy-intensive industries and different options for ensuring rates are adjusted for inflation.
Climate Policy: Comparing electricity policies between the primary and tertiary needs: the need for distributive justice within the energy transition
Electricity, when serving primary needs such as heating or lighting, is finally three times more expensive, mostly because of taxes, than electricity dedicated to producing e-fuel for aviation, a tertiary need.
