After weeks of discussion, the parties in the traffic light coalition want to seek agreement on a third relief package on Saturday. The coalition committee will meet in the morning, the AFP news agency learned on Friday from coalition circles. Federal Finance Minister Christian Lindner (FDP) announced on Wednesday a "massive package" to relieve citizens and companies in view of the sharp rise in energy and living costs.

In the past few days, the SPD, FDP and Greens have had very different ideas about the content of the new relief package. In the meantime, however, there seems to be agreement that the focus should be more on low earners and pensioners.

The previous two relief packages, which included the fuel discount, a flat-rate energy price and the nine-euro ticket, had a total volume of around 30 billion. A third package for this year and next could reach similar dimensions.

Lindner said on Wednesday that there was still scope for relief in the single-digit billions this year. In the coming year, he saw opportunities for relief amounting to a double-digit billion sum.