Berlin wants to overturn combustion engine ban, SPD seeks compromise

According to the Bild newspaper, the Berlin coalition attempted to reach an agreement on the issue of combustion engines at a meeting chaired by Chancellor Friedrich Merz.

The CDU and CSU want to lift the EU-wide sales ban, while the SPD insists on electromobility as a key technology for the future, but has signaled its willingness to compromise.

The IG Metall trade union also weighed in on the debate, arguing in favor of technological diversity.

CSU leader Markus Söder warned of the loss of hundreds of thousands of jobs and called for openness to hybrids and synthetic fuels.

No agreement has been reached so far, and the working paper has been withdrawn. However, a “steel summit” focusing on the automotive and steel industries is planned.

VDA President Hildegard Müller welcomes the dialogue and emphasizes that climate targets can only be achieved with technological flexibility. Although electromobility remains a priority, it is by no means the only option.

(lup)