An earlier coal exit, a coordinated corona strategy and a new child protection law: the new NRW Prime Minister has set himself ambitious goals.
The opposition is skeptical.
Düsseldorf - North Rhine-Westphalia is ready to phase out coal as early as 2030, according to the new Prime Minister Hendrik Wüst (CDU). He wanted to "do everything to ensure that we succeed," said Wüst on Wednesday in his first government statement in the Düsseldorf state parliament. This included a forced expansion of renewable energies, but also incentives to develop “alternatives for a secure power supply”. According to the previous planning, Germany should phase out coal production by 2038.
On the subject of Corona, Wüst called for a coordinated strategy from the federal and state governments in view of the rapidly increasing number of infections.
As chairman of the Prime Minister's Conference, he considers it imperative that the heads of government of the federal states come to “a common assessment” of the situation and coordinate their actions with one another and with the federal government.
The basis for this are the deliberations of the health ministers on Thursday and Friday.
In his 45-minute government statement, Wüst outlined the main goals of his CDU / FDP coalition.
Schools in socially disadvantaged areas should be fully equipped with digital devices.
All 370,000 pupils at these schools were to receive a digital device as part of a second “immediate equipment program”.
He also announced a new child protection law for this legislative period.
It should help to protect as many children and young people as possible from violence.
The 46-year-old promised the people in the flood areas that they would intensify their reconstruction efforts through accelerated procedures and more personnel.
The SPD opposition leader in the state parliament, Thomas Kutschaty, accused Wüst of social coldness.
The former state transport minister will not be the prime minister who will make North Rhine-Westphalia Germany's social conscience again.
As a minister, he initially even wanted to abolish the social ticket and for years represented the interests of business associations, said Kutschaty.
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dpa