Imagine it’s a showdown – and the public is left out for now. That is the starting position this Wednesday in the Economic Committee of the Bundestag. The meetings of the 25 standing committees, also known as Parliament’s workshops, usually take place behind closed doors. Reporters and citizens have no access here.
The topic on May 10th is not the heating law, which was rejected by 78 percent of the German citizens surveyed (Forsa), the architect of which is the long-standing managing director of the eco-think tank Agora Energiewende, Patrick Graichen, but above all his role in filling the top position at the German Energy Agency (dena).
Michael Schäfer was chosen from among 18 applicants. Undoubtedly an expert, but also Graichen’s best man, who in turn was involved in the selection process as state secretary, which even Habeck now sees as a “mistake”.
Graichen is probably not questioned separately from Habeck
According to information from FOCUS online, Graichen will not, as originally planned, only be questioned by the members of the Economic Committee. Because behind the scenes, the traffic light parties have agreed to merge the committee for climate protection and energy, which also meets on Wednesday with star guest Robert Habeck, with the economic committee.
According to our research, Habeck and Graichen should testify together and not separately at 12 noon sharp. There are different opinions in political Berlin as to whether and how exactly a merger of two committees is possible. One thing is certain: it is definitely an extraordinary event.
The economic policy spokeswoman for the Union, Julia Klöckner, speaks in „Bild“ already of undignified trickery and also raises the question on Twitter whether “someone among the former friends of transparency is worried about too much transparency”. “Or doesn’t he trust his state secretary to give the right answers even without his boss?”
Economic Committee boss Grosse-Brömer expects clarification from Graichen and Habeck
In any case, the chairman of the Economic Committee, Michael Grosse-Brömer (CDU), rejects a merger. A decision on the new procedure is to be taken shortly after the start of the two meetings.
But as it stands, Grosse-Brömer probably has no choice but to temporarily form a tandem with Klaus Ernst (left), the chairman of the climate protection and energy committee, should the committee members of the traffic light parties vote for it.
What the CDU politician expects from the appearance of the two high gentlemen from the BMWK, he made it clear to FOCUS online: “I expect State Secretary Graichen and Federal Minister Habeck to finally have the necessary overview of the personnel policy in the Federal Ministry, which is apparently exclusively geared towards green ideology for the economy and climate protection.”
Because this personnel policy in the Habeck Ministry probably did not only end with direct family members, but also extended to witnesses and far beyond, according to Grosse-Brömer. “The entire green staff network must be enlightened.”
“When moralizers have problems with morals themselves, it gets exciting”
For him, the question also arises as to “what State Secretary Graichen means when he says that he was not really careful when appointing his best man for a 180,000 euro job. Does he mean that he wasn’t really paying attention because the relationship between the best man and the best man became public or did he forget that Michael Schäfer is his best man?” Graichen had to explain this statement as well as the question of whether the composition of dena’s decision-making body was influenced by him .
“The overall circumstances indicate that the mixed doubles of Graichen and Habeck in the ministry do not seem to focus on economic policy expertise, but rather what they see as the right, green ideology and close friendships and family ties,” emphasizes Grosse-Brömer. This is the only way to explain laws such as the Building Energy Act, which overwhelms people financially and completely ignores the reality of life.
“Once again it shows that when moralizers themselves have problems with morals, it gets exciting,” said the CDU politician.
While the Greens chairwoman in the economic committee, Melis Sekmen, was not prepared to comment on FOCUS online, FDP chairman Reinhard Houben emphasized: “I expect Mr. Graichen to go to Canossa.” – or having made financial decisions.
It is already clear: This Wednesday will be an exciting one in Berlin.
