FDP demands a "policy for the car"

The FDP demands a traffic policy in favor of cars and largely rejects the conversion of streets into bicycle and pedestrian zones. City centers should become more attractive to drivers again through free parking or affordable flat-rate parking solutions. This is outlined in a resolution by the FDP executive committee.

"We do not want an ideological mobility policy," emphasized FDP General Secretary Bijan Djir-Sarai afterwards.

Cars should not be deliberately disadvantaged.

"A cultural conflict one-sidedly against cars is a cultural conflict against the reality of people's lives, especially in regions like Brandenburg and rural areas," said Brandenburg FDP leader Zyon Braun.

He is set to lead a working group on traffic policy for the liberals.

Free Parking Against the "Bleeding Out of City Centers"

With the push for free short-term parking or a nationwide parking model based on the example of the 49-euro ticket in public transport, they want to "counter the bleeding out of the cities," said Braun. However, he conceded that the federal level could only urge municipalities to take such measures, as the parking issue falls under their jurisdiction.

The SPD has criticized the coalition partner's paper. Their transport politician Detlef Müller reiterated that the car remains the "cornerstone of mobility," especially in rural areas.

"With their decision, the FDP wants nothing more than to exploit the topic populistically with an eye on the state elections. By doing so, they are pitting modes of transport against each other and showing that they are back in the 1970s in terms of transport policy." What is needed is an "intelligent mix of all modes of transport."