Germany's Merz reprimands top minister amid row over high fuel prices

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz reprimanded his conservative colleague and Economy Minister Katherina Reiche on Friday amid bitter wrangling within the government coalition over how to tackle soaring fuel prices.

"The chancellor is dismayed by the public spat and has urged Minister Reiche to exercise restraint," sources close to Merz told dpa.

The comments came after Reiche, from Merz's Christian Democratic Union (CDU), launched a broadside against her coalition partners in the Social Democratic Party (SPD).

"In recent weeks, our coalition partner has been putting forward proposals that are costly, ineffective and constitutionally questionable," Reiche told broadcaster Welt TV. "This causes confusion and does not help consumers."

Prices at the pump have been soaring in Germany in recent weeks due to the war in Iran.

The government introduced a measure limiting petrol stations to raising prices just once a day, but the policy has failed to bring down costs for motorists, with record highs registered after it took effect last week.

Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil, the co-leader of the SPD, has publicly called on the government to enact further measures to relieve consumers.

He has proposed a temporary reduction in energy tax, funded through a windfall tax designed to capture the exceptionally high profits made by energy companies during the crisis. Klingbeil, who also serves as vice chancellor, has also called for a flexible price cap on petrol, diesel and heating oil. 

Merz on Thursday dampened hopes of swift government action, but said he would favour intervening if prices do not drop following the ceasefire in the Middle East.