Industry representatives, including Dittrich, argue that the measure shifts financial burdens onto already strained companies, potentially creating a divide between those able to afford the bonus and those unable to do so. While the black-red coalition introduced this initiative in response to soaring energy costs exacerbated by the Iran conflict, it faces opposition from various economic associations and federal states, despite support from labor unions. This announcement was broadcast on Deutschlandfunk on April 18, 2026.