Diesel price in Germany falls below pre-war level

On Monday, prices initially continued to fall. The reasons are initial progress in negotiations between the USA and Iran for an agreement to end the war. The blockade of the Strait of Hormuz had pushed the oil price above 120 dollars per barrel in March at times. Since the high at the beginning of April, the average gasoline price has fallen by 15 percent.

Background: Fuel discount and crude oil market

The easing at the pumps is mainly due to the fact that oil is significantly cheaper than at the beginning of June. The fuel discount, which lowers taxes per liter by 16.7 cents, is also supporting prices. Without it, gasoline and diesel would be significantly more expensive than before the war, as the report shows.

The tax discount expires at the end of the month. Observers point out that the effect of the fuel discount on the final price at the pump is limited because tax cuts and commodity movements on the world market are not always passed on to consumers in the same proportion. With the measure expiring, the premium over the pre-war price could widen again, provided the geopolitical situation remains stable.

Outlook: What looms after the end of the tax discount

The development is also being noted in neighboring countries. Over the weekend, the time had come: the price of diesel at many gas stations in Austria fell back below the 1.70 euro per liter mark after a long time. The report was filed in Linz and Vienna.

If the war in the Middle East does not escalate again, prices should continue to fall, according to experts. At the same time, market observers warn that a renewed escalation could quickly worsen the already volatile supply situation in the Persian Gulf. Developments on the commodity markets therefore remain a barometer of political developments in the region.

International classification

Measured across the whole year, the price trend remains striking: as recently as March, the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz had pushed the oil price above the 120 dollar per barrel mark. Since then, the situation has gradually eased, not least because diplomatic channels between Washington and Tehran have become more active again. Any further progress in the talks is seen on the market as a potential downward driver of prices.

The report was broadcast on 22.06.2026 on Deutschlandfunk. It places the current figures in the context of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine and the crisis in the Middle East, even though the direct connection to the conflict in Eastern Europe is not set out in detail in the available data.