Press
Shortly before the European elections, the Democrats are changing course again: CDU leader Merz wants to repeal the ban on combustion engines for cars.
Saarlouis – CDU Federal Chairman Friedrich Merz wants to overturn the ban on new cars with combustion engines that will come into force in 2035. “This ban on combustion engines must be reversed because we do not know today what kind of mobility can be developed in a truly environmentally neutral and climate-friendly way in the future,” said Merz on Wednesday evening (May 22) at a CDU election campaign event in Saarlouis.
Campaign to start on Friday: CDU promotes innovation instead of bans
Resistance has been brewing among the Christian Democrats for several months. Both CDU party leader Merz and CSU leader Markus Söder suddenly publicly rejected the idea of phasing out combustion engines. This means that the CDU and CSU are finally breaking with the previous policy of EUCommission President Ursula von der Leyen. The CDU politician played a key role in pushing for the new law.
The EU states and the European Parliament sealed the ban on new cars with diesel and petrol engines from 2035 over a year ago. Specifically, new cars will then no longer be allowed to emit carbon dioxide, which is produced by the combustion of petrol and diesel. Exceptions are being considered for so-called e-fuels, which do not pollute the atmosphere with additional CO2.
Loud Bild newspaper From Friday afternoon (May 24), eligible voters will be able to vote digitally on whether they support or reject the planned ban on the sale of new cars with petrol or diesel engines. A website and advertising materials such as posters are planned for this purpose. One of the posters, which the newspaper has seen, reads: “Innovation and technological openness instead of bans. Abolish the ban on combustion engines.”
Resistance also from other parties: combustion engine ban is a serious industrial policy mistake
The ban on combustion engines met with a lot of resistance. Recently, the CSU European politician Manfred Weber said that “the ban on combustion engines was a serious industrial policy mistake from which China is profiting.” The aim is to “remedy this after the European elections,” said the party and parliamentary group leader of the European People’s Party.
Sarah Wagenknecht expressed a similar view: “The fact that the EU has sealed the end of the combustion engine and thus paved the way for the triumph of Chinese battery-powered cars in Europe is an example of the invasiveness and incompetence of the current EU institutions.” The German car industry is world class when it comes to combustion engines. “The permanent production of fuel-efficient cars could protect the domestic industry with its unique know-how and hundreds of thousands of well-paid jobs,” said Wagenknecht. The goal is “a new generation of combustion engines that breaks all efficiency records.”
![Presentation of the EU election campaign of the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance](https://www.merkur.de/assets/images/34/628/34628839-vorstellung-eu-wahlkampagne-buendnis-sahra-wagenknecht-QpBG.jpg)
However, the EU goal of zero-emission transport from 2050 onwards would hardly be achievable even with extremely economical combustion engines. In addition, the German car industry has now invested billions in the production of electric cars or has announced such investments..
Automotive industry in crisis: Lack of political direction unsettles consumers
Critical voices are also being raised from the automotive industry. “We are in a critical situation,” said automotive expert Stefan Bratzel, who heads the Center of Automotive Management (CAM) in Bergisch Gladbach. Some manufacturers and suppliers have prepared for the end of combustion engines and have already made major investments. Therefore, any developments that call safety into question in this regard are bad.
The end of combustion engines will only work if the framework conditions such as charging points, car prices and operating costs develop in the right direction at the right speed. The market ramp-up is proving more difficult than expected, said Bratzel. Politicians must provide clear guidance. Uncertainty – including among consumers – is poison, said the expert.
The fact is: Buyers are currently holding back on electric cars, especially since government subsidies have also been eliminated. The number of newly registered battery-powered cars has been declining for months. The federal government’s goal of having at least 15 million battery-powered cars on German roads by 2030 is a long way off. According to the Federal Motor Transport Authority, almost 1.41 million purely battery-powered vehicles were registered in Germany as of January 1, 2024. According to a Forsa survey, 68 percent of the 1,000 or so respondents would currently prefer a combustion engine to an electric car when buying a car (2023: 72 percent).
Commission President Ursula stresses: The law will be reviewed for progress in 2026.
So is the transport transition in Europe in jeopardy? The legal act on the phase-out of combustion engines states that the EU Commission will review the effects of the law and what progress has been made in 2026. Ursula von der Leyen stressed in February: “I think it is often forgotten that an inventory and a review will take place in 2026.” Some interpreted this as an indication that the decision could be reversed. (dpa/bg).
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