Scholz defends the eviction of Lützerath: criticism of violence

Created: 01/13/2023, 05:30 p.m

Police officers observe a colleague on a lifting platform near a house on stilts.

© Henning Kaiser/dpa

Chancellor Olaf Scholz has criticized parts of the protests against the eviction of the brown coal village of Lützerath.

“I used to demonstrate more often, too.

However, for me there is a limit that runs exactly where protest becomes violent," said the SPD politician of the "wochentaz", the weekly newspaper of the "taz".

Scholz does not accept criticism that the development of the lignite deposits under Lützerath put the climate goals in danger.

Berlin - "This allegation is not true.

It's exactly the opposite: we make politics so that we can achieve our climate goals."

"Perhaps the protest should be directed against the fact that it takes six years for a wind turbine to be approved.

If we want to achieve the energy transition, we need more speed,” the Chancellor made clear.

Scholz promises faster approval procedures and more speed in the expansion of renewable energies.

"The goal must be to soon set up three to four large wind turbines in Germany every day." It is the absolute goal of his government to ensure that Germany becomes climate-neutral by 2045.

At the same time, Scholz made it clear that there will be no further extension of the service lives of the three remaining nuclear power plants.

"Yes, definitely," said the Chancellor when asked whether he would rule out extending the term beyond the spring.

The Chancellor also underlined that he rejects government bans to achieve climate goals.

"We will not achieve the climate goals with waivers or bans," he said.

"I don't believe in reducing driving by the state.

The citizens have to decide for themselves how they want to get around.” But he is convinced “that with technological modernization we will be able to operate in a CO2-neutral manner, protect the climate and our resources and maintain our prosperity”.

dpa