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SPD leader insists on adherence to coalition compromises

2023-05-27T05:23:32.614Z

Highlights: The debate about the heating law is causing an icy climate in the coalition. SPD leader Saskia Esken wants to smooth waves - and planning security for homeowners. The law stipulates that from next year onwards, at least 65 percent of every newly installed heating system must be powered by green energy. Existing oil and gas heating systems can continue to operate and broken ones can be repaired. The changeover is to be cushioned socially, and there are also to be transitional periods and hardship regulations.



SPD leader Saskia Esken appeals to the coalition partners' willingness to compromise. © Michael Kappeler/dpa

The debate about the heating law is causing an icy climate in the coalition. SPD leader Esken wants to smooth waves - and planning security for homeowners.

Despite the dispute between the traffic light partners over the heating law, the SPD is insisting on compliance with the remaining coalition compromises. The amendment to the Climate Protection Act, planning and approval acceleration and also the Building Energy Act had been negotiated in the coalition committee for many hours and had come to a result "that we were able to carry well together," said SPD leader Saskia Esken of the German Press Agency. "Of course, the package applies, we have agreed on that together," she stressed. The Greens had recently questioned it in view of the blockade of the FDP.

Part of the agreement of 28 March was that the law on the gradual replacement of climate-damaging oil and gas heating systems should be passed in the Bundestag by the summer recess on 7 July. However, the FDP now says that the timing is of secondary importance, and that a good law is important.

Green parliamentary group leader Britta Hasselmann therefore threatened that if the FDP did not comply with the agreement, the Greens would not be bound by the other decisions. "And that's why I regret that what we consider to be an important planning acceleration law for the entire transport sector cannot now be launched," she said. This project, which is being pushed by the FDP, includes, among other things, the faster expansion of certain motorways.

SPD pushes for a decision before the summer break

Esken appealed to the coalition partners to show a constructive attitude and objective communication. It is "of course not particularly helpful" if the Greens now accuse the FDP of behaving like an opposition with ministerial offices. "I am convinced that we will be able to come together again on all these issues," Esken stressed. "You can't overestimate things. It's just an interplay of different forces with different ideas and interests."

The SPD continues to push for a decision before the summer break. "There are subsidies for certain measures that people are now waiting for," said Esken. "Material has to be ordered, the craftsman has to be commissioned, and you don't do that two months in advance. For the planning security of those who are now building or planning a renovation, it is therefore important that we conclude the law quickly now." She remains confident that this will work.

Habeck announced revision of the draft

The law stipulates that from next year onwards, at least 65 percent of every newly installed heating system must be powered by green energy. Alternatively, it is also possible to switch to climate-neutrally generated heat from a heating network such as district heating. Existing oil and gas heating systems can continue to operate and broken ones can be repaired. The changeover is to be cushioned socially, and there are also to be transitional periods and hardship regulations - but the details are controversial. The law is considered an important component of the project to make Germany climate-neutral by 2045.

Economics Minister Robert Habeck (Greens) has already announced a revision of the draft. It is being considered, for example, that it will only apply to new buildings for the time being. In the case of existing buildings, he wanted to take up the desire for more time, where the challenges are greater, Habeck told the newspapers of the Funke media group. Dpa

Source: merkur

All news articles on 2023-05-27

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