<p>German minister says companies are ‘exploiting situation’ in Middle East, as sky-high prices become major domestic issue for leaders</p><p>European governments have discussed imposing a bloc-wide windfall tax on energy companies, as near-record fuel and gas prices pile pressure on leaders desperate to contain mounting public discontent and the challenge of the far right.</p><p>With elections due next year in eight EU countries including France, Italy, Spain and Poland, leaders are scrambling