Merkel says Germany must end 'easy-peasy' approach on climate policy, announces radical changes
Rheinische Post
Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel has said the country must stop its “easy-peasy” ("Pillepalle") approach to climate action and announced “radical changes” to her government’s climate policy in September, Gregor Mayntz writes in the Rheinische Post. Speaking to members of parliament from her conservative CDU/CSU alliance, Merkel said Germany had made only very modest progress regarding climate action in recent years. Conservative environmental politician Anja Weisgerber said the government would decide on an unprecedented set of climate action laws before the end of the year, adding that it would be carefully crafted to avoid “lopsided” financial burdens for citizens, keep jobs within the country and ensure that mobility in rural areas stays intact.
After heavy losses for Germany’s governing parties, the CDU/CSU and the Social Democrats (SPD), in the European elections and massive electoral gains for the Green Party, Merkel’s conservatives have begun intensive soul-searching regarding its future climate policy. While many in the party argue that more progressive environmental policy is needed in order not to lose any more voters to the Greens, others warn that very ambitious policies could lead to losing traditionally conservative voters to the right-wing nationalist AfD instead.
