[Politics] This will be the social democratic government that replaces Angela Merkel in Germany after 16 years in power

[S e u o n g]

 

Germany already knows what its new government will be like.

The Social Democrat Olaf Scholz will lead the new German Executive, after reaching an agreement with two other parties after Angela Merkel decided not to opt for a new term after 16 years in power.

Two months after the Social Democratic Party (SPD) prevailed in the Federal Elections, Scholz reached a final agreement with the Greens and the Liberals to form a new coalition government.

The government agreement establishes the fight against climate change as the great priority of the new Executive.

The pact must still be endorsed by the rank and file of the parties that sign it, but it is expected that the new government can be definitively formed in December, once the vote in Parliament scheduled for between 6 and 9 of that month is passed.

 

It will be the end of the long era of Angela Merkel, who has dominated German and European politics in recent years.

The future of Germany, the great power of the European Union, will mark the future of the continental bloc and it is likely that other states will follow in their footsteps in defense of the environment, if they finally do so.

In the German press it has already been baptized as the "semaphore government", because of the colors of the parties that are going to form it (red for the Social Democrats, green for the green and yellow for the Liberal Democrats).

The objectives of the new government
Fight against climate change: the parties have agreed to abandon coal as an energy source by 2030, eight years earlier than planned.

2% of the German territory will be dedicated to the generation of wind and hydrogen-based energy. The goal is that by 2030 80% of electricity is obtained from renewable energy sources and 15 million electric cars circulate on German roads.

The parties aim for Germany to achieve neutrality in its polluting emissions by 2045 and solar energy panels will be mandatory on the roofs of all newly constructed commercial buildings. There will also be solar panels in residential buildings.

 

Germany will remain committed to the EU goal of abandoning internal combustion vehicles by 2035.

A foreign policy with Europe as a priority: The new government is committed to "increasing European strategic sovereignty", which implies the search for greater independence in security, energy and other issues on the international agenda.

Scholz told a press conference: "The sovereignty of Europe will be a cornerstone of our foreign policy." He also highlighted the friendship with France, his great ally in the EU.

However, Berlin's relationship with the United States and other NATO members will remain central, according to the coalition's plans.

Increase in the minimum wage and public housing: the minimum wage will increase to 12 euros (US $ 13.45) per hour and 400,000 new apartments will be built. 25% of them will be offered as social housing.

Voting at 16: the voting age will be lowered from 18 to 16, with the intention of reforming the electoral law to end the problem that the number of parliamentarians does not stop increasing. The current Bundestag has 735 deputies.

The change in the voting age in the elections to the European Parliament may be approved by a simple majority, which the signing parties are assured, but it will be more difficult in the case of the German federal elections, for which two thirds of the votes are required in the Bundestag.

 

 

 

LINK: https://www.bbc.com/mundo/noticias-internacional-59410930