There’s a well-known optical illusion that goes well with what Red-Green-Yellow is trying to do right now. Anyone who has ever stood by train at the station knows the phenomenon. Your own wagon doesn’t move, but the train pulls away from the platform opposite and glides past the compartment window. For a moment it feels as if you are already on your way. In truth, however, one stands, sometimes for quite a long time.
This is also the case with the most recent paper that the coalition partners in Berlin hatched after a thirty-hour marathon meeting led by Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD): It should feel as if they are picking up speed, but in reality they are standing. Only the world outside is moving faster and faster.
A thorough analysis of the paper, which comes along almost like a small coalition agreement, shows that the politicians from the SPD, Greens and FDP sell the public resolutions that are in fact from yesterday and sometimes also from the day before yesterday as new and forward-looking. The rulers are obviously counting on forgetting quickly. This is made clear by six points:
1. Speed at the charging stations
As the most tangible result of the coalition committee, Scholz announced that there should be quick charging points at all gas stations within five years – which should influence the decision of car buyers for an electric vehicle. The Chancellor announced a corresponding law.
He could have looked at the master plan of the previous government, to which he himself belonged as finance minister: In 2019, the then federal government decided that “charging points should be offered at all gas stations in Germany, where electric vehicles can be charged at low prices.” Scholz from the day before yesterday.
2. More space for wind turbines
Vice Chancellor and Economics Minister Robert Habeck is particularly proud of a negotiation result that the Greens have achieved. “Trade and industry need more cheap wind power,” the coalition partners say quit what to do now: “An area-specific outdoor area privilege should be introduced for certain particularly suitable areas. Wind turbines for the direct supply of neighboring companies should be able to be erected on these areas, and self-consumption should also be possible.”
New? No piece. If you leaf through the building code, you will come across paragraph 35. Paragraph one says: “Projects that serve the research, development or use of wind and water energy are privileged in the outside area.” This regulation is intended to promote wind energy . With a view to this regulation, courts often dismiss lawsuits against the construction of new wind turbines in the vicinity of residential areas. Only they themselves know why the coalition partners had to decide this again.
3. Areas for energy production are being created along the motorways
According to the 16-page paper, under which the ink is not yet dry, “areas are being created along the freeways” that are “essentially to be used for generating renewable energy”. “It is clarified that now within the framework of the
cultivation law assessment, the interests of renewable energies generally prevail.”
It is not wrong that the governing parties are realizing this, but they could have saved themselves the paper. In December 2022, the Bundestag and Bundesrat introduced a law that came into effect when it was published on January 11th. It provides for a simplified approval process for photovoltaic areas along motorways and multi-track railway lines. Since then, the Federal Highway Authority has emphasized that the general building ban 40 meters next to these lanes can be omitted.
4. The truck toll will in future apply to vehicles over 3.5 tons
“The truck toll limit will be lowered on January 1, 2024, so that basically all commercial vehicles with more than 3.5 tons technically permissible total mass are included in the collection of fees.” Nobody prevents the SPD, Greens and FDP from now including this in their new agreement write, but hopefully you have at least made it so easy for yourself and used the “copy paste” key combination.
Because that’s exactly what it says in the coalition agreement of November 2021. The only new thing is that it is now clear that craft businesses are exempt from this regulation. So far, that was only a demand of the FDP – and of course the craftsmen. You can breathe now. The coalition has heard them.
5. More goods on the rails
Without exception, every German government of the past 20 years has committed itself to this goal. Now it is again in the most recent coalition paper: “Rail freight traffic should achieve a market share of 25 percent by 2030.” The fact is that the share has stagnated at around 18 percent for years, despite all the demands and subsidies.
The reason is very simple: the truck is the superior means of transport because it also manages the last few meters to the delivery address. The freight train only ever comes to the freight station. Then it is reloaded. Into a truck.
6. The 49-euro Germany ticket is to be integrated into the Bahncard 100
The government has thus taken on the interests of the 36,000 mostly well-earning Bahncard 100 holders in Germany. However, it is not yet clear whether they are really grateful.
Three months ago, you had to accept a five percent increase in the price of your BahnCard. The state company Deutsche Bahn on the one hand has already taken a part of what the state is now stuffing back into them on the other hand.
