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ARD scandal: Heated debate about the climate glue idea for the social council - "Opens the door and gate to the arbitrary state"

2023-01-31T11:41:47.549Z


In “hard but fair”, CDU politician Connemann exchanged blows with “Last Generation” activist van Baalen. It's about lobbying.


In “hard but fair”, CDU politician Connemann exchanged blows with “Last Generation” activist van Baalen.

It's about lobbying.

Cologne – Directly before “hart aber fair” there was a 45-minute report by the former ski racer Felix Neureuther on the ARD about the future of the ski areas.

Or to put it more precisely: about how the snowy landscapes are changing as a result of climatic change.

Presenter Louis Klamroth then catches this ball and talks to his guests about artificial snow, the energy required for it and tourism.

Heavy fare, especially since everyone has something to say, but no discussion gets rolling.

Louis Klamroth would like to know from Sven Plöger whether the ski areas we know might not also disappear without human intervention.

To do this, the meteorologist first makes a distinction between weather and climate.

“Weather is what we see when we look out the window, but the climate is the evaluation.

We see dying forests, we see heat records, but hardly any cold records,” Plöger lists.

“Hard but fair” – these guests will join the discussion on January 30th:

  • Konstantin Kuhle (FDP)

    – deputy

    Group leader in the Bundestag

  • Gitta Connemann (CDU)

    - Federal Chairwoman of the SME and Economic Union

  • Aimée van Baalen

    - Speaker of the "Last Generation"

  • Sven Plöger

    – meteorologist

  • Hildegard Müller

    – President of the Association of the Automotive Industry

The government must respect the Climate Protection Act, at least it should.

In the transport sector, the targets were clearly missed.

In this case, the law requires immediate action.

That is why Transport Minister Volker Wissing (FDP) presented a corresponding package in the summer, but this had no effect.

Klamroth turns to Konstantin Kuhle (FDP) and suddenly asks: "Can't Volker Wissing, or doesn't he want to?"

Kuhle answers the provocative question with the 49-euro ticket that has just been decided, which will come into force on May 1, 2023.

"Considering that Volker Wissing took over from Andi Scheuer a year ago, that's pretty impressive," jokes Kuhle, before becoming more serious again.

Traffic is generally an area that is very sluggish.

“If I buy a car, then for ten to 15 years.

I can't immediately switch to electric mobility if I've just bought a combustion engine," explains Kuhle.

Speed ​​limit debate: Plöger argues for implementation – "It's schizophrenic"

With the change from snow to cars, the debate finally picks up speed.

But that is also due to Sven Plöger, who, despite his always too friendly manner, argues with great zeal: "It's schizophrenic that we in Germany don't manage to implement a speed limit.

We cannot save the world with this, but we can save so much CO₂.” According to the Federal Environment Agency, it will be 47 million tons by 2030.

The climate activist Aimée van Baalen strikes the same note: "This isn't just about skiing, it's about life.

How are we supposed to have confidence in the government if such measures are not even implemented?” Hildegard Müller is becoming increasingly restless.

"There are no simple answers to complex issues," says the President of the Association of the Automotive Industry.

In doing so, she simply wipes the speed limit aside and says that bypassing dilapidated and impassable bridges also causes unnecessary CO₂ emissions.

There is no doubt that Müller is right about this, but she leaves open why the effect of the speed limit should not be used.

CDU politician Connemann speaks out for the continued operation of nuclear power plants - criticism of "symbolic politics"

Gitta Connemann (CDU) is also very bothered by the "symbolic politics with the speed limit".

Instead, one should rather drive in the "big points": "We could simply continue to operate our three nuclear power plants and would thus gain more emission-free energy every day." But Plöger skilfully drives her into the parade.

France generates most of its electricity from nuclear power plants.

"Why France kept buying electricity from Germany in the summer is because the water levels in the rivers were so low and the nuclear power plants could not be cooled.

You can't talk yourself into the world better than that."

A few weeks ago, the so-called climate stickers drew attention to themselves for the first time.

Now the climate movement “Last Generation” has announced that this form of protest will be extended to smaller cities.

Aimée van Baalen was already stuck on a street.

She doesn't care if she hinders innocent citizens, "but as long as the government breaks the constitution, we have no other choice".

Connemann leans over the table and, as she addresses van Baalen, looks like the angry mother who wants to bring her child to reason.

Eyes wide open, Connemann asked the activist to get involved in democracy and run for office.

Connemann gets into a war of words with van Baalen – Kuhle covers CDU politician and warns activist

On the show, van Baalen had a heated exchange of blows with CDU politician Connemann.

It was about lobbying in the Bundestag.

The activist's proposal for a so-called "social council" was rejected by both Connemann and Kuhle.

According to van Baalen, the idea of ​​the "last generation" is that citizens should come together in the council and discuss measures that the government should then implement.

"The Bundestag does that," says FDP politician Kuhle.

In addition, the MPs there are not drawn by lot, but elected, adds the CDU politician.

Citizens "like you and me" meet in the council, van Baalen asks, to which Connemann replies that the MPs are citizens too.

When van Baalen finally complained about too many lobbyists in the Bundestag, Connemann promptly countered: "You are also a lobbyist."

Kuhle backs Connemann and adds: “That opens the floodgates to the arbitrary state.

That's undemocratic.

That has nothing to do with our constitution.” Connemann whispers briefly: “That's anarchy.” Nevertheless, van Baalen sticks to her position.

Her proposal is still democracy, but in a new form.

"Be careful not to become radicalized any further.

Because that's not how you will achieve your goals.

I am in favor of concentrating on democratic means," Kuhle warns the activist.

Van Baalen gets paid at Last Generation - "For educational work, lectures, talks in schools"

Towards the end of the show, there was another marginal aspect that was interesting.

Klamroth asked van Baalen if she was an activist full-time.

Surprisingly, she says yes.

Even if the spokeswoman for the "Last Generation" puts it differently: "You can call it what you want, but I get money for educational work, for lectures, for talks in schools."

After the accusation from the group, van Baalen emphasizes that she does not receive money for demonstrating, but for her educational activities.

Funding was provided by donors and organizations, but this was transparent.

"Hard but fair" - the conclusion of the show:

After the initial snow discussion, which seems rather artificial after the report, the guests really get going.

Even though it has been discussed umpteen times, the speed limit remains an emotionally charged topic.

The show is doing well tonight.

A witty discussion then develops that brings various facets to light.

(Christoph Heuser)

Source: merkur

All news articles on 2023-01-31

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