Jens Spahn in “Early Start”
“Merkel never succumbed to an illusion”
06/08/2022 10:31 am
With today’s knowledge, some decisions would be made differently, says Union parliamentary group leader Spahn, referring to former Chancellor Merkel’s appearance in a Berlin theater the night before. From today’s perspective, one would no longer become heavily dependent on Russian gas.
Deputy Union faction leader Jens Spahn defended former Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Russia policy. “Angela Merkel has never given in to any illusions as to who or how Vladimir Putin is. Unlike her predecessor Gerhard Schröder, who sold himself to the system,” said Spahn on ntv’s “Frühstart”.
At the same time, Spahn emphasized that in view of the war one had to check where one was right and where one was wrong. “With today’s knowledge, you would certainly make some decisions differently,” said Spahn, who is responsible for the area of economy and energy as the parliamentary group’s vice president. “Nevertheless, the decision may have been a sensible option in the situation at the time.”
Spahn said that with today’s knowledge, the previous governments would certainly not have phased out nuclear or coal energy so quickly. Everyone knew that Germany would need Russian gas as a bridging technology until renewable energies were expanded. From today’s perspective, one would no longer become heavily dependent on Russian gas.
The speed of the traffic light is not enough for Spahn
When asked how one could quickly become more independent, the CDU politician said: “I expect Economics Minister Habeck to come up with a plan.” Spahn pointed out that the Bundestag, with the votes of the traffic lights and the Union, had already asked the federal government two months ago to present an exit schedule. Spahn accused the Green politician of announcing a lot, “but that’s not enough, we need gas to get through the winter – and so far we haven’t had enough concrete information.”
Above all, Spahn called for more speed in the expansion of renewable energies: “I think it’s good and right that the new government is setting very ambitious goals. You want to expand wind and solar energy even faster – but something has to happen now.” The problem in Germany is that, for example, it takes five to seven years to set up a new wind turbine, says Spahn: “The pace is not enough.” The SPD and the Greens are responsible for the failure to speed up the planning process in recent years. If they are now willing to do so, the CDU and CSU would be the first “to agree, to participate and to think that’s right”. The CDU politician demanded: “It’s not enough to formulate goals, you have to change the laws specifically. We are ready to do that.”