Energy crisis: The main war profiteers are the United States, says Agnès Pannier

Former energy minister and EPR deputy of Pas-de-Calais, Agnès Pannier-Runacher, points out that France already applies “an extra tax on large companies” and suggests resorting to projects like the “electrification plan” to address the energy crisis and France’s dependence on oil and gas exporting countries like Putin, Trump, and the Middle Eastern nations. She emphasizes that the real beneficiaries of the energy crisis caused by Middle East turmoil are the United States, not the CEOs of major oil companies like Total, as profits are generated in the extraction countries. Pannier-Runacher advocates for phasing out gas and making electricity a more attractive choice. Martin Baumer questions whether superprofits of companies like Total should be taxed given the boost in sales due to the fuel crisis, to which Pannier-Runacher explains that France already imposes a tax on large corporations, including Total, for profits made in France. She highlights that most profits in the oil industry are made in extraction countries. Pannier-Runacher rejects the need for further laws taxing superprofits, mentioning France’s high taxation levels as a challenge for competitiveness. Regarding the rising gas prices mentioned in Le Parisien, Pannier-Runacher stresses the importance of accompanying the shift away from gas by making electricity more appealing. She explains the need for a nationwide shift in heating systems to electricity over the next 15 years as an essential part of the plan. Collaboration between individuals, the government, and housing establishments is crucial to implement this change effectively. In response to concerns about energy scarcity raised by Total’s Patrick Pouyanné, Pannier-Runacher, who left the government six months prior, doesn’t see a current risk of shortage but acknowledges France’s vulnerability due to high dependence on oil and gas imports. She emphasizes the need to reduce this dependence for both environmental and national security reasons by accelerating the transition to nuclear and renewable energy sources.