German minister threatens ‘indefinite driving bans’ on weekends

By Sejla Ahmatovic | 04/12/2024 12:14 PM EDT

The ruling coalition has been fighting over legislation that sets out binding climate targets.

Cars and traffic fill the A100 ring highway at dusk on November 3, 2014 in Berlin.

Cars and traffic fill Bundesautobahn 100 at dusk on Nov. 3, 2014, in Berlin. Sean Gallup/AFP via Getty Images

Germany’s transport minister is threatening to ban driving on weekends to meet climate goals if the ruling coalition does not pass reforms to the Climate Protection Act by July.

“The fact that the amendment is still not in force leads to considerable legal and factual uncertainties,” liberal politician Volker Wissing wrote in a letter to the parliamentary group leaders of the coalition, German outlet Bild reported Thursday.

“This serves neither the climate nor the reputation of the federal government,” he said.

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A reduction in traffic to help meet the climate goals would only be possible through measures that are difficult to communicate to the public, such as “comprehensive and indefinite driving bans on Saturdays and Sundays,” Wissing added.

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