New Government In Germany To Phase Out Coal, Legalize Drugs

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News

(Worthy News) – Germany, Europe’s biggest economy, will have a new government of Social Democrats, Greens, and liberal parties that seek to phase-out coal by 2030 while legalizing “soft” drugs.

They have presented a deal to form a new government, with Olaf Scholz, the finance minister, succeeding Angela Merkel as chancellor.

It comes months after elections, and as authorities claim, hospitals are overwhelmed with COVID-19 patients, which has impacted the health care and economy in the nation of 80-million people.

Scholz will head a three-party coalition some two months after his Social Democrat party won federal elections. He will share power with the Greens and business-friendly Free Democrats.

What they view as “climate protection” is a big part of their deal with plans for “Germany’s transition” to a “green economy” to end 16 years of government led by Angela Merkel.

The parties confirmed they plan to phase out coal use by 2030, eight years ahead of schedule, though it wasn’t clear how they would concretely make up for the shortfall.

WIND POWER

They seek to use a whopping two percent of German territory for wind power and focus on hydrogen-based energy.

By 2030, the parties want 80 percent of electricity to be sourced from “renewable energy” and 15 million electric cars to be on German roads.

While Merkel wasn’t against seeking renewable energy, the supporter of Germany’s auto industry appeared irritated about banning the famed German diesel cars from roads.

Merkel warned it would be “disproportionate” to ban diesel cars in cities where limits on nitrogen emissions are only being marginally exceeded.

Many drivers were left outraged as several major German cities — including Frankfurt, Berlin, and Stuttgart — are limiting older diesel engines from their roads.

While pressuring traditional motorists to change their ways, the new team wants to make it easier for Germans to buy and use cannabis. Germans will soon be able to purchase the drugs in licensed premises, “with controls on the quality and distribution of the drug.”

LOSING MARKET

The move would disappoint coffee shop owners in neighboring liberal Netherlands, where many Germans traveled to buy soft drugs legally.

Scholz, 63, also told reporters that his government would support the European Union.

He said, “sovereignty of Europe is a cornerstone of our foreign policy.” Scholtz stressed Germany’s friendship with France.

Scholz also wants a partnership with the US but suggested it should be a coalition “on equal terms.”

While due to be a formality, he cautioned that the three parties’ members still had to approve the so-called “traffic-light” coalition, reflecting the parties’ red, yellow and green colors.

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