GERMAN government departments are stepping up efforts to help consumers affected by runaway wholesale energy prices which are beginning to hurt low-income households, two policymakers said. Like many countries, Germany has seen historically high prices of energy and related European carbon emissions permits which were triggered by the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions and resulting demand on depleted gas stocks. “We are working flat out on solutions for households that are now facing difficulties,” said Kevin Kuehnert, general secretary of the center-left Social Democratic Party (SPD). “Our promise has always been that we will particularly protect people on a tight budget who find themselves suddenly caught out by social and global developments,” he added. The government would prefer “unbureaucratic and prudent” solutions tailored to individual needs, Kuehnert said. The coalition government was sworn in last month under leadership of SPD chancellor Olaf Scholz, and also includes the pro-spending, environmentalist Greens and the fiscally more conservative, libertarian Free Democrats. (SD-Agencies) | 