
Bavaria’s economics minister hubert aiwanger (freie wahler) has given up his opposition to the construction of the crude new power lines suedlink and southeast-link to bavaria: "i see the federal republican decision and can do nothing about it", aiwanger said after a cabinet meeting focusing on energy policy. Until now, aiwanger had been counting on the increased expansion of decentralized energy generation in bavaria to prevent the construction of the new electricity highways after all.
Explosives for the coalition
The head of the free-choice party can at least chalk up as a success the fact that the federal government has now abandoned the controversial "P44" pipeline connection from thuringia through parts of upper franconia to grafenrheinfeld (district of. Schweinfurt) wants to waive. This waiver also applies to the "P44 mod" alternative routes discussed. The "P43" coalition planned line from mecklar in hesse to grafenrheinfeld is also now to be built as an underground cable project. These two decisions are a success of current bavarian negotiations in berlin and "a massive relief for lower franconia", aiwanger finds.
The power line issue had previously been seen as a potential explosive for the coalition between the CSU and the free democratic party (FU). In contrast to aiwanger, minister-president markus soder (CSU) had always declared the new nationwide electricity highways to be indispensable for bavaria. "Bavaria is not blocking the route expansion", soder also emphasized after the cabinet meeting at a joint press conference with aiwanger. His government commits itself "without ifs and buts" on suedlink and southeast link: "we need these routes, but we have achieved significant improvements for the citizens", the minister president praised. The fact that aiwanger is now supporting this course shows "strategic flexibility" of the bavarian coalition.