Surprising promotion: Habeck gets Laschet a new job
Created: 11/29/2022, 13:04
By: Tobias Utz
Robert Habeck and Armin Laschet: Once competitors, now colleagues.
The Federal Minister of Economics recommends the former head of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia for a post.
Berlin – Armin Laschet, former Prime Minister of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW), is to promote the coal phase-out in Germany.
In return, he will be given a new post: he is to become Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the RAG Foundation.
The surprise was that the proposal for the post came from the Federal Minister of Economics himself, Robert Habeck.
"Armin Laschet knows the history of hard coal mining like no other: As the son of a foreman, he grew up with mining, as Prime Minister of North Rhine-Westphalia he was closely involved in the exit from hard coal mining," said the Green Minister, according to a statement from his ministry .
Habeck helps Laschet to chair
The RAG-Foundation is responsible for financing the “perpetual burdens” that have accrued since Germany’s exit from hard coal mining.
An example of this is the constant pumping up of mine water, which has been steadily increasing since the end of coal mining.
This must not come close to the drinking water, as this can lead to severe contamination.
Laschet is to lead one of the two foundation bodies, the Board of Trustees.
He inherits the former RWE boss Jürgen Großmann.
As Prime Minister of North Rhine-Westphalia, he was already a member of the committee.
Habeck and Laschet at a press conference after exploratory talks in October 2021. © Michael Kappeler / dpa
In the past, Laschet has been sharply criticized for his policy of phasing out coal in Germany.
NGOs accused him of making false statements, especially in connection with the coal commission.
Greenpeace and the Bund Naturschutz accused Laschet of using the organization for 2038 as an exit date.
What is Armin Laschet doing professionally at the moment?
Armin Laschet is currently a member of the Bundestag for the CDU/CSU parliamentary group.
He is also represented in several committees: in the subcommittee on “Disarmament, Arms Control and Non-Proliferation” as chairman and full member, and in the Foreign Affairs Committee as a full member.
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After retiring as Prime Minister of North Rhine-Westphalia, Laschet announced that his future focus would be on foreign policy.
Even as Prime Minister, he had already dealt with questions of international politics "more than maybe usual", he explained to the
Süddeutsche Zeitung
.
(do)