Merz โคSignals Opposition to 2035 โคCombustion โEngine Ban
Friedrich Merz, leader of the โขChristian Democraticโฃ Union (CDU), has publicly expressed reservationsโ about the European Union’s planned ban โขon the โฃsale of new combustion engine vehiclesโข fromโ 2035, advocating for greater flexibility andโค technological openness. While stopping short of โa definitive rejection, Merz’s statements atโ the IAA car show in Munich indicate a willingness to challenge the current timeline and regulations.
Theโ debate over the 2035 ban is intensifying as Germany, a major automotive manufacturing hub, weighs the economic impact of transitioningโฃ to a fully electric vehicle market. saxony’s Prime Minister Olaf Lies (SPD) has also voiced concerns about the feasibility of the deadline. Merz’s position adds โฃfurther weight to the growing opposition, perhaps reshaping the future of the automotiveโ industryโ and impacting millions of โjobs. The EU is expected to review โits CO2 goals โฃthis year,opening a windowโ for renegotiation.
Merz avoided a firmโ commitment โคto the 2035 target, โratherโข emphasizing the need to avoid rigid prohibitions that โคcould stifle innovation and jeopardize employment withinโค the automotive sector. โขHe called for “plain text” discussions with the EU โคregarding more adaptable regulations.
Recent polling data reveals significant publicโ resistance to the ban, with only 24 percent of Germans currently supporting the 2035 deadline. Simultaneously, companies like Porsche are reassessing ambitious electric vehicle targets, signaling โขaโค continued reliance on combustion engines in the near future. Even within the SPD, someโค MPs are questioning the feasibility of phasing out combustion vehicles byโข 2035.
