Olaf Scholz wants Germany to lead Europe, but the reality is that its image is hurt by its refusal to limit speeds on the Autobahn and keep nuclear power plants running amid the global energy crisis.
The German chancellor vociferously voiced his achievements in an opinion piece for conservative daily FAZ on Sunday.
“This is something to build on as Germany assumes responsibility for Europe and the world in these difficult times,” he wrote.
While his words may be grand, domestic actions do not match his level of ambition.
During this extraordinary energy crisis, there are two potential policy shifts that, if undertaken, could signal to the rest of the world that Germany means business.
They are fairly simple: Keeping nuclear power plants on the grid for a bit longer to ensure sufficient electricity supply at home and abroad and limiting the top speed on the Autobahn, thereby reducing oil consumption and Russian profits.
Currently, much of Europe is ridiculing Germany’s ever-smug politicians for suborning themselves to the whims of the Kremlin with eyes wide shut. Instead of sending a clear signal that they’ve seen the sign of the times, they squabble.
On the one hand, the liberal FDP fiercely resists attempts to implement a top-speed on German highways. FDP Transport Minister Volker Wissing has offered many reasons for not doing so, including a lack of signs.
On the other hand, the Greens are holding onto their most sacred cow – the shut-down of Germany’s diminished nuclear fleet, which under current laws will go offline as of 31 December 2022. The reasons given against nuclear range from security concerns to the lack of permanent waste solutions, which seems pithy during a time of war in Europe.
These discussions lack much basis in reality. The effects of a speed limit on oil consumption are proven, and the International Energy Agency recommends speed limits regularly. Keeping nuclear power plants running is less obviously impactful but a strong signal nonetheless.
So while the Greens and liberals keep squabbling, each calling for the other to abandon their position and give in, neither seem to be aware of the damage they are inflicting on their country’s image and the environment.
With the EU embargo on Russian oil yet to come into effect and gas an increasingly scarce commodity across the EU, every speeding liberal and every kilowatt-hour of gas used to produce electricity hurts Germany’s credibility in seriously tackling the Zeitenwende Scholz declared earlier this year.
On Monday, Berlin was discussing a potential “horse trade” between the two squabbling parties, which instead prompted immediate dig-in from the liberals and the Greens.
“Enough. To link nuclear power and the speed limit as one condition is absolutely absurd,” tweeted Britta Haßelmann, head of the Greens’ parliamentary group.
Scholz is seemingly content to watch his coalition colleagues squabble. He might like to describe his behaviour as calm and collected, avoiding a potential government fracture, but frankly, it just appears cowardly.
And it is a gift to opposition parties as well. “Dear Greens, jump over your shadow. No thinking bans! Do it for Germany!” said Friedrich Merz, leader of the conservatives, in an op-ed.
Lest we forget, the government’s leading MPs still have late-night Twitter spats and clash on talk shows over support for Ukraine, especially related to heavy weapons and tanks.
It is Scholz’s job to be the final arbiter in his government. It is Berlin’s role to lead Europe from the front. Right now, Scholz and the whole of Germany’s government appear unwilling or unable to do either.
The Roundup
North Macedonia’s prime minister put on a brave face on Tuesday (19 July) at the official opening of his country’s long-delayed EU accession talks, as unrest grows at home and a nationalist movement threatens to upend the process.
Amid a tripling of new COVID-19 cases in the past six weeks, the EU’s Health Commissioner called on member states to step up preventative public health measures in preparation for colder months.
The European Commission will face a lawsuit over allegations it’s violating its own regulation when transferring citizens’ personal data from one of its websites to the United States.
European countries have so far not adequately addressed the impact of rising global temperatures on the health and well-being of the working population, the European Trade Union Institute (ETUI) found.
French energy unions have called for the financial capabilities of energy giant EDF to be protected as it undergoes nationalisation.
Meanwhile, following Fidesz’s crushing election victory in April, the liberal Momentum party will fight harder for a pro-European Hungary, according to Momentum MEP Katalin Cseh.
A new EU skills partnership is set to drive forward the up- and re-skilling of workers in the digital sector, a key element of the Digital Decade targets.
In other news, an €8 billion investment project touted as Europe’s largest coastal park is expected to create a “smart” city, the mayor of Ellinikon, the site of the project, said.
Last but not least, check out our Transport Brief.
Look out for…
- College of Commissioners meeting in Brussels on Wednesday.
- Informal meeting of competitive ministers (internal market and industry) in Prague through Wednesday.
- International Trade Committee delegation in Bangladesh through Wednesday.
- Budgetary Control Committee delegation in Warsaw through Wednesday.
Views are the author’s.
[Edited by Zoran Radosavljevic/Alice Taylor]
Source: euractiv.com
