While the three parties in Olaf Scholz's government are already struggling to agree on their 2025 budget, a new bone of contention is further fracturing the German Chancellor's coalition. Under the title “A policy for the car”, the Liberal Democrats presented a series of measures on Monday 12 August, which were met with dismay by their Social Democratic and Green partners.
The main one concerns short-term parking in city centres. Ideally, the Free Democratic Party (FDP) would like it to be free, but it is proposing a nationwide subscription, similar to the rail pass that allows unlimited travel throughout Germany for 49 euros per month.
In order to make life easier for motorists, the FDP also proposes to make the creation of cycle paths and pedestrian streets more complicated, by requiring municipalities to consult residents and businesses more before taking any decision in this direction.
“We do not want an anti-car policy based on ever more bans”summarized the secretary general of the FDP, Bijan Djir-Sarai, during the presentation of this plan, which also promises to put a stop to the “EU plans to combat diesel vehicles” and wants to return Germany “more attractive” for those who wish to develop motorsport in general, and Formula 1 in particular. “In terms of transport, we want to ease the constraints on motorists and oppose the policy of supervision advocated by the Greens”added Mr. Djir-Sarai.
“Populist fashion”
Unsurprisingly, the latter have brushed aside the proposals of their coalition partners. “It makes no sense to pit cars against pedestrians”reacted the vice-president of the Green group in the Bundestag, Andreas Audretsch. “Believing that we will strengthen the economic activity of city centres by increasing the number of cars is a dangerous mistake”echoed the Green mayor of Hanover, Belit Onay.
The reception in Mr Scholz's Social Democratic Party (SPD) was equally frosty. “The FDP is exploiting the car theme in a populist manner in view of the upcoming regional elections. [prévues en septembre dans trois Länder d’ex-Allemagne de l’Est]. In his way of contrasting modes of transport with each other, he returns to a vision from the 1970s.criticised SPD transport expert Detlef Müller.
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Source: Lemonde
