E-car change of course: CDU politician writes fire letter to Transport Minister Wissing
Created: 01/17/2022, 18:11
By: Felix Durach
Volker Wissing's position on the mobility turnaround has drawn critical voices from the opposition.
© Bernd von Jutrczenka/dpa
The statements made by Minister of Transport Wissing (FDP) on electromobility caused criticism, especially in the ranks of the Union.
As a recent letter to the 51-year-old shows.
Berlin - After almost two months in the office of Federal Minister of Transport, Volker Wissing (FDP) ventured forward with a push last week and spoke out in favor of electric cars with a view to the future drive of passenger cars.
“We have to use the various energy sources where they are most efficient.
That's the electric drive in a car," the 51-year-old explained to
Tagesspiegel Background
.
Transport Minister Wissing: U-turn on synthetic fuels - sharp criticism from the Union
The FDP politician clearly rejected the use of synthetic fuels, so-called e-fuels, in the automotive industry and pointed out that these would tend to be used in air traffic. In addition to approval for the statements made, which Wissing received from the environmental association BUND, among others, many critical voices were also raised about the Minister of Transport's plans. Alexander Dobrindt (CSU), who held the position of Transport Minister from 2013 to 2017, described Wissing's plans to
Bild.de
at the weekend as an "active prosperity reduction program for Germany".
Sharp criticism of the plans of the traffic light minister at the beginning of the week now also from the ranks of the CDU.
The main thing that bothers them there is the change of course that the Minister of Transport has initiated with a view to his party's election program.
There was still talk of “technology openness” with a view to the mobility turnaround.
Fire letter to traffic light Minister of Transport: CDU man accuses Wissing of "devastating signal".
"As legislators, we shouldn't dictate the technologies, but demand and promote free competition for the best ideas.
I see your statement as a devastating signal in this context," writes Jens Gieseke, Deputy Chairman of the Transport Committee in the European Parliament,
in a veritable fire letter to the Minister of Transport , according to the
Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung .
Jens Gieseke (CDU), Member of the European Parliament, sharply criticized Transport Minister Volker Wissing in a letter for his position on synthetic fuels.
© Martin Bertrand/imago-images
"While others are fighting for a future open to technology, for innovations and ideas, you declare the process over without further ado," Gieseke continues, accusing the Minister of Transport of ignoring the "democratic process".
Mobility turnaround in Germany: Union reminds FDP of election promises - "technology-open regulation"
For his part, the CDU MEP sees a future for e-fuels in private transport and points to rural regions and the existing fleet as sensible areas of application. The Union politician therefore recommends Wissing to campaign for “technology-open regulation”. This is the only way for the transport minister to remain true to "what the Free Democrats announced during the election campaign and what the traffic light coalition stipulated in their contract," Gieseke concludes.
Wissing, who, as the former General Secretary of the FDP, was heavily involved in the coalition negotiations of the traffic light parties, justified his position with the fact that a decision in favor of e-mobility within the EU was made long ago in view of the regulations.
Gieseke, on the other hand, sees the process within the European Union as just beginning.
(fd/dpa)
