Energy policy is one of the most important instruments for influencing a country's competitiveness. It is no coincidence that it has been at the centre of all papers on future economic policy that have recently seen the light of day in Berlin. Time and again, the focus has been on the right way to expand infrastructure or reduce network charges. These topics are also likely to play an important role in the upcoming parliamentary election campaign. But one thing is already becoming apparent: There will be no radical departure from the energy transition, even if the CDU/CSU wins the election.

Despite the energy crisis triggered by the war in Ukraine, the traffic light coalition has brought a lot of movement to the green restructuring of the energy supply: Almost 60% of electricity consumption is now covered by renewables. In the first half of the year alone, capacity totalling 9 gigawatts was added. There is a reason why the energy company Vattenfall has now announced that it will be investing over 5 billion euros in Germany over the next few years. The utility has identified the fastest growing market for renewable energies in the whole of Europe here.

As can be seen from the „New Energy Agenda for Germany“ position paper which the CDU/CSU parliamentary group recently presented in the Bundestag – just one day before the coalition government collapsed – this development should not be stalled in the event of a change of government, but rather set on an even broader basis. The CDU/CSU is less concerned with the emission targets of the energy transition and more with the path: Financing, promotional support, and cost efficiency. The focus is not on a change of direction, but rather a stronger emphasis on market-based instruments such as the CO2 price.

It is quite possible that the controversial Heating Act will be stopped for these reasons. However, the fact that there is an urgent need for action in the building sector is also undisputed within the largest opposition parliamentary group. Of course, the CDU/CSU agenda also includes the usual provocative bluster about a return to nuclear energy. But even the Christian Democrats know that this has no practical relevance for the next few years or decades, and that there will be no restart of the decommissioned nuclear power plants. And perhaps a change of government will even lead to the introduction of climate bonuses – a social equaliser that the Ampel coalition simply lacked the strength to introduce in the end.