German Finance Minister and Vice Chancellor Lars Klingbeil gives a statement on April 24, 2026 at the Bundestag (lower house of parliament) in Berlin to comment on the German government's plans of a relief package for citizens, including a fuel discount. The surge in oil and gas prices triggered by US-Israeli attacks on Iran and near total closure of the Strait of Hormuz has weighed on Germany: energy-intensive industries account for almost a fifth of its industrial output. (Photo by Tobias SCHWARZ / AFP via Getty Images)