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Federal Policy: Scheuer Hands Over to Wissing

With a large majority, the Bundestag elected Olaf Scholz as the new Chancellor today. This also marks the end of Andreas Scheuer's term. He will be succeeded by the FDP member Dr. Volker Wissing.

Dr. Volker Wissing has been the German Federal Minister of Transport since today. With him, the department is in FDP hands for the first time. (Photo: FDP)
Dr. Volker Wissing has been the German Federal Minister of Transport since today. With him, the department is in FDP hands for the first time. (Photo: FDP)
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von Christine Harttmann

For the next four years, federal German transport policy will be in the hands of the FDP, under Dr. Volker Wissing. The 51-year-old lawyer is now expected to "dare more progress" in transportation policy. This includes ambitious goals for climate protection. By the year 2030, 15 million electric vehicles are to be on Germany's roads. This would be about one-third of all vehicles based on today's vehicle population. To prevent electric cars from facing charging problems, the charging infrastructure is also to be significantly expanded. The transformation of the vehicle industry is to be accompanied by a strategic platform called the "Transformation Platform for the Automotive Industry." It aims to secure climate neutrality, added value, as well as jobs and training positions. What is indeed new is that the coalition intends to spend more money on the railway than on road traffic.
 

Wissing is also supposed to make the truck toll dependent on CO2 - without double burdening through the CO2 price. The logistics associations had placed great emphasis on this. It is also planned that truck turning assistants will become mandatory and not be switchable. The new minister will have work in expanding safe truck parking areas and facilitating the approval process for oversized and heavy transports.

But beyond that, many expectations rest on the FDP man, especially those of the transport and logistics associations. As FDP General Secretary, Wissing was in a leading role during the coalition negotiations. However, whether and how the new Federal Minister of Transport can or wants to meet the various demands remains to be seen. He certainly brings experience from transport policy. From May 2016 to May 2021, he was a member of the Rhineland-Palatinate state parliament and Deputy Minister-President as well as Minister for Economy, Transport, Agriculture and Viticulture.

What does that mean?

Dr. Volker Wissing has a big task: He has to bring the traffic light plans for the Federal Ministry of Transport to life. Mobility must finally be consistently compatible with CO2 reduction and climate protection. His predecessors have often hesitated here, sometimes for (too) long.

Translated automatically from German.
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