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The “fair burden-sharing” – or: The art of doing nothing and still making it sound like policyAnyone reading the press release from Energy Minister Willingmann (SPD) might briefly believe that an actual response to rising prices is being worked on here. 
“Willingmann advocates fair burden-sharing due to rising prices” – even the title of the press release reads like a political promise that is self-sufficient. Whoever “advocates” does not act. Whoever “advocates for something” implies that the desired thing might exist, but only in the realm of possibility, not in the realm of implementation. And that is exactly where the real art of this press release begins: it describes a problem everyone knows, and offers a solution that consists primarily of language. Rising prices – the political rediscovery of a permanent realityThe fact that prices are rising is not a new phenomenon in Saxony-Anhalt, but rather an everyday background noise of supermarkets and gas stations.Inflation, according to current official figures, is in the range of around 2 to 3 percent, recently about 2.9 percent in Saxony-Anhalt. A figure that looks reassuring on paper and less so in your wallet. Because while statistics calculate averages, everyday life knows no average feelings. Butter, energy, mobility – everything does not evolve in sync with spreadsheet logic, but with individual limits of burden. The burden-sharing as a linguistic protective zoneIn the press release, the “fair burden-sharing” is introduced as a response to this development. In essence – as so often in similar political formulations – it is emphasized that “strong shoulders should carry more than weak ones.”That sounds like structure, like concept, like political architecture. In reality, however, it is above all a sentence that has reliably appeared for years wherever things become concretely uncomfortable and are supposed to remain concretely vague. Because the crucial questions remain strikingly unanswered here as well: Who exactly are the “strong shoulders”? From what income level does this category begin? And what exactly does “carrying more” look like in euros and cents? The press release does not remain silent aggressively, but elegantly – it remains silent in friendly language. Politics in accompaniment modeWhat stands out less is what is being said, and more how little follows from it.The minister “advocates”, he “emphasizes”, he “points out”. These are all forms of activity that remain politically pleasantly quiet. They convey action without necessarily producing results. This creates an image of political work that resembles moderation more than shaping: one accompanies price developments, comments on them, classifies them – and hopes that this at least stabilizes the problem communicatively. When language becomes a substitute solutionThe term “fair burden-sharing” thus fulfills a classic function of modern political rhetoric: it sounds like a solution without being one.It is large enough to generate approval, and vague enough to offer no attack surface. It is therefore less a political instrument than a semantic buffer between reality and responsibility. While actual burdens from energy and living costs are noticeably rising for many households, the political response remains in the realm of announcements and assessments. The silent shifting of responsibilityBetween the lines of the press release, a familiar pattern can be identified: the crisis is described, but not truly addressed. It is classified, but not changed.The problem lies “in prices”, the solution “in compensation”, and implementation “in the future”. This structure has the advantage of not directly contradicting anyone – and precisely for that reason appears so stable. Politics appears here not as a force of change, but as an institution for the linguistic accompaniment of changes taking place elsewhere. The compensation that is mainly announcedIn the end, a familiar picture remains: rising prices, rising burdens, and political communication that responds by escalating terms.The “fair burden-sharing” is less a concrete project than a rhetorical placeholder for something that is still to come – someday, somewhere, somehow. Or, more pointedly formulated: While costs are actually rising, the political response remains primarily linguistically flexible. And that is precisely where its remarkable stability lies. The press releaseWillingmann advocates fair burden-sharing due to rising prices 22/04/2026 Current debate in the state parliament At the gas station, prices for petrol and diesel continue to hover around the two-euro mark per liter. There is still no solution in sight to the Iran conflict, which for weeks has been driving fuel prices up due to possible supply disruptions. With regard to the economic consequences for Germany, Saxony-Anhalt’s Energy Minister Prof. Dr. Armin Willingmann advocated a fair burden-sharing in the state parliament on Wednesday. “In the coming months in Germany, we will also have to discuss how, in this crisis situation, it can be ensured that strong shoulders carry more than weak ones, and that money remains available for necessary and targeted relief measures,” Willingmann explained in the current debate. Serious politics also includes saying where the money for relief should come from. “Considering an increase in the top tax rate or the wealth tax should, in my view, not be a taboo,” the minister emphasized, also with regard to current developments in Berlin. Willingmann further reaffirmed his demand for a reduction in VAT on basic foodstuffs. “It is obvious that rising energy prices will also lead to generally rising prices,” the minister explained. “Food and many other goods have to be transported, and transport costs have also increased significantly in recent weeks.” In principle, he welcomes it when the federal government pursues policy with a sense of proportion, the minister continued. However, it is also clear that a continuation of the Iran conflict must also be accompanied by further relief measures. “The reduction of energy tax by 17 cents is correct,” said Willingmann. “It will soon support all those who need a car every day and cannot simply switch to public transport. And the federal government will have to expand these or similar measures if necessary.” The minister criticized the federal government’s hesitant stance regarding the taxation of windfall profits, for example through the introduction of a windfall profit tax. It is crucial “that one does not only spend tax money, but also involves those who are profiting excessively from this international crisis: namely the oil companies!”, said Willingmann. “The windfall profit tax must be examined promptly and introduced as quickly as possible! In 2022, the state was already able to recover more than 2.5 billion euros in this way.” The topic in the state parliament on Wednesday was not only possible short-term measures, but also long-term lessons from the conflict. Willingmann called for the energy transition not to be slowed down in light of the crisis, but to be implemented more consistently. “We need a committed commitment to the energy transition and consistent investments so that we become more independent from energy supplies, so that energy prices in Germany do not continue to go crazy when the Trumps and Putins of this world start wars again,” said the minister. “Renewable energies are local energies! In the long term, they are the most reliable and cheapest. They make us independent and also bring jobs and value creation to Saxony-Anhalt.” Author: AI-Translation - АИИ | |
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