The Democratic Party welcomes the agreement reached between the government and the social partners to extend the energy support measures. For the DP, the key priorities were strengthening purchasing power, curbing inflation and providing greater predictability for households and businesses. The outcome demonstrates that social dialogue in Luxembourg works and delivers concrete solutions.
Support measures for electricity, gas and heating oil will be extended by twelve months. They will significantly ease the burden of energy costs on households and businesses, while providing a reliable framework for planning their expenditure and economic activities.
“It was important to us that these measures would not simply disappear next year, but that people and businesses could continue to benefit from them,” said party president Carole Hartmann.
Subsidies for diesel and petrol, however, will only be extended by two months. For the DP, limiting the fuel discount in time is essential, as climate targets remain a priority. Relief from energy costs must go hand in hand with responsible climate policy. Electrification therefore remains a key focus for the DP, with subsidies and advance financing for heat pumps and photovoltaic installations continuing to take priority. Moreover, the financial benefit of the fuel discount for consumers is limited, as is its impact on curbing inflation. For the DP, the energy transition is the only sustainable way to protect citizens from high energy prices. A long-term extension of the fuel discount is therefore not appropriate.
Stability and social cohesion are particularly important in uncertain times. Today’s agreement is also a success for the Luxembourg model as understood by the DP: through constructive dialogue, the social partners assume shared responsibility and find solutions through compromise. Once again, social dialogue has proved its worth.
