German Coalition Faces Crisis Over Heating Law Reform

The German political scene is embroiled in a deep dispute over the amendment to the Building Energy Act, commonly known as the heating law. Matthias Miersch, leader of the SPD parliamentary group, issued a clear ultimatum, declaring he will not support regulations that would leave tenants without adequate financial protection. The Social Democrats fear that the energy transition in the building sector will hit the poorest social groups, creating a so-called cost trap, especially in light of the planned introduction of mandatory shares of biogas and hydrogen. This stance by the SPD signals growing tensions within the coalition, where a compromise with the opposition CDU/CSU is sometimes viewed by the left wing of the ruling party as "socially irresponsible." Germany's building sector accounts for about 15 percent of the country's greenhouse gas emissions, making it a crucial, yet most difficult, area of the climate transition.Parallel to the parliamentary crisis, economic experts and city mayors are sounding the alarm. Monika Schnitzer, chairwoman of the German Council of Economic Experts, criticized the new proposals as opaque and long-term harmful to consumers. Meanwhile, municipalities from eastern Germany warn of a funding gap amounting to billions of euros, resulting from the need to modernize municipal heating networks without secured stable central funding. Importantly, the amendment envisages a relaxation of initially strict bans on gas boilers, which the media interprets as the government "softening" under political pressure. The matter is currently being examined by the Federal Constitutional Court in Karlsruhe, which is investigating whether the legislative pace and procedures for adopting the law violated parliamentarians' rights to proper document analysis. „Mit mir wird es kein Gesetz geben, das Mieter auf den Kosten sitzen lässt.” — Matthias Mierschlipiec 2026 — effective date of the new regulationsThe situation in Germany also impacts the European heating technology market. While heat pumps remain a strategic goal for the government, regulatory uncertainty has caused a temporary resurgence of interest in classic gas and oil-fired boilers. Consumers find themselves in a difficult position, facing a choice between expensive investment in renewables and the risk of rising gas prices in the future. The Polish press is closely following these upheavals, seeing them as proof of the difficulties in implementing radical climate goals in Europe's largest economy, which could influence a redefinition of the region's entire energy policy.

Perspektywy mediów: Liberal media emphasize the need to protect tenants and warn of the trap of high gas heating costs. Conservative media point to government populism and legal chaos, suggesting a return to fossil fuels as a rational alternative.