Coalition spat threatens to delay law for phaseout of fossil heating systems
威力彩玩法
The intensifying quarrel within the German government coalition is increasingly likely to delay a law designed to pave the way towards climate-friendly heating. Following objections from the pro-business Free Democrats (FDP), and contrary to earlier government plans, the economy ministry鈥檚 draft law 鈥 which stipulates a de-facto ban on the installation of conventional gas and oil boilers from next year 鈥 will not be discussed in parliament this week. Economy and climate minister Robert Habeck (Greens)聽聽an adoption of the law before the summer recess in July and August, previously agreed by the coalition, 鈥渨ill no longer be possible with the postponement.鈥 According to聽, this also increases the likelihood that the law cannot take effect at the start of next year as currently planned.
The delay in the draft law, a key piece of legislation to get the country on track for becoming climate neutral by 2045, intensified the conflict within the three-way government coalition between Greens, FDP, and Social Democrats (SPD). Habeck openly accused coalition partner FDP of a 鈥渂reach of promise.鈥 In response, the FDP said it had argued for weeks that the draft law needed fundamental changes and therefore does not provide a basis for parliamentary discussions 鈥 even though the party聽had agreed to it in the government cabinet in April. According to the current proposal only heating systems that run on at least 65 percent renewable energy can be newly installed from the start of 2024 whenever possible.聽The draft law is controversial due to the higher costs of climate-friendly heating systems such as heat pumps.聽
Media commentators saw the coalition in a deep crisis and there is widespread criticism of all parties. "The coalition is tumbling into its deepest crisis," , and added that if the parties continue their dispute a "circle of destruction" is looming. In , Georg Anastasiadis wrote that the law has been flawed and that "it urgently needs to go back to the assembly hall." Zeit Online鈥檚 Katharina Schuler聽听迟丑别 FDP of exploiting public uncertainties about the transition to climate-friendly heating for its own political gain. 鈥淔or this, [the party] accepts it will plunge the traffic light coalition into a medium government crisis, and risk compliance with the climate targets.鈥 Stefan Braun聽听迟丑别 FDP鈥檚 manoeuvre in Table Media 鈥渢he greatest affront imaginable鈥 within the government coalition. Nora Marie Zaremba said in climate and energy newsletter Tagesspiegel Background that the Greens might respond in kind by delaying FDP pet projects, for example new rules designed to speed up road constructions.聽聽