(de-news.net) – In response to the European Union’s proposed prohibition on the registration of new combustion engine vehicles from 2035, a discernible shift in stance has emerged within Germany’s conservative Union bloc. Senior figures from the CSU and CDU have voiced strong opposition, aligning with CSU Chairman Markus Söder’s call for the repeal of the regulation. CDU Baden-Württemberg Chairman Manuel Hagel criticized the measure as tantamount to a ban on industrial research and innovation, asserting that the European Commission should define climate objectives without prescribing specific technological pathways.
Echoing this sentiment, CDU Saxony-Anhalt Chairman and Minister for Economic Affairs Sven Schulze described the EU’s timeline as impractical, citing the sustained global predominance of combustion engines. CDU Lower Saxony Chairman Sebastian Lechner further advocated for the abolition of fleet emission thresholds, emphasizing the efficacy of the existing CO₂ emissions trading system as a technology-neutral and market-oriented mechanism for advancing climate protection.
Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz reiterated these concerns during the inauguration of the IAA Mobility trade fair in Munich. While reaffirming Germany’s commitment to a climate-neutral automotive sector, Merz cautioned against unilateral political mandates favoring particular technologies. He referenced the EU’s climate policy framework, which stipulates that all newly registered vehicles must be CO₂-free by 2035. Similar appeals for regulatory revision have recently been issued by CSU’s Söder (CSU) and Hildegard Müller, President of the Verband der Automobilindustrie (VDA).
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Cem Özdemir, the lead candidate of the Green Party for the upcoming state elections in Baden-Württemberg, expressed conditional openness to a potential postponement of the 2035 ban on newly registered vehicles with internal combustion engines. He underscored the importance of coordinated efforts between industry and policymakers to allow for temporal flexibility while maintaining a clear trajectory toward sustainable mobility. Nonetheless, Özdemir firmly opposed a complete reversal of the ban, citing the automotive sector’s substantial investments in zero-emission technologies.
Similarly, Sebastian Roloff, economic policy spokesperson for the Social Democratic Party (SPD), conveyed a willingness to engage in discussions regarding a possible delay of the 2035 target. He emphasized that the forthcoming automotive summit must yield a coherent strategy between political and industrial stakeholders to safeguard domestic production capacities and employment.
Despite ongoing policy debates, private automobile usage remains deeply embedded in German society. According to the Federal Statistical Office, households collectively traveled 472.2 billion kilometers by car in 2023, averaging 15.5 kilometers per capita per day. This figure represents a modest 1.2 percent increase over 2022, yet remains 11.8% below the pre-pandemic benchmark of 2019. The data underscores the enduring centrality of the automobile in daily routines, encompassing commuting, consumer activity, and recreational travel.
