Dirk
Spaniel
Employment
in the Automobile Industry
German Bundestag, November 14, 2019,
Plenarprotokoll 19/127, pp. 15872-15873
[Dirk
Spaniel is an Alternative für Deutschland Bundestag member from the
southwestern German state of Baden-Württemberg and is an automotive engineer. Cem Özdemir, a leader of the Green party, is also from Baden-Württemberg.]
Right honorable Herr president. Right honorable ladies and
gentlemen.
There are presently going about the country announcements of mass
layoffs in the automobile industry. People are right to be anxious and many
ask: How can this be? Is our industry no longer competitive? These mass layoffs
are of political origin and indeed are from an EU regulation. The automobile
industry is being politically compelled to convert to electo-mobility. Herr
Ozdemir, you quite clearly know that.
Many celebrate yesterday’s apparent decision of Tesla –
Timon Gremmels
(SPD): What’s with the “apparent”?
– to settle a new plant in
the vicinity of Berlin and to create a maximum of 6,000 jobs. You however do
not say that this plant will be principally built here in Germany because
inconceivable sums in subventions will flow to this production site –
Timon Gremmels
(SPD): So how much?
– and electro-mobility will be irresponsibly subsidized.
Timon Gremmels
(SPD): Diesel would not be subsidized, or what?
We see now that you are repeating the failed promotion of the
solar industry, and the burning of the hard-earned money of working people, for
your ideological games.
Timon Gremmels
(SPD): Diesel was not promoted?
You also do not say that there is generally no market for the
electric automobile in its present state of technical development. The people
do not want electric cars.
Matthias Gastel
(Greens): Norway!
This market – even in Norway – will only be created artificially
by your bans on competitive technologies and subventions of electric motors.
Last year in the transport and environmental committee, experts and union
representatives – yes, from IG Metall – had predicted precisely this crisis to
you. Such points as: This could be the end of the German automobile industry…
You were warned and it was clear to you what was coming. You knew
it. You of the Greens even still wanted a tightening of consumption
regulations. You of the government willingly made allowances.
On March 23 of last year, the AfD requested this house to lodge a
protest against this EU regulation so as to get around it. That is the root of
all evil.
Timon Gremmels
(SPD): You are the root of all evil!
We wanted to discuss publicly which consequences of this
regulation threaten our industry.
Alexander Ulrich
(Left): Is there climate change or is there not climate change?
All of you, including the FDP, removed a public debate thereon
from the orders of business. You did not want the people of this country to
learn what was coming to them as a result of your policy.
Oliver Luksic
(FDP): You can say that all day long.
Christian Jung
(FDP): Have you again drunk too much conspiracy elixir?
A transportation transformation here fantasized or the dancing of
deluded people in the street will not in any case feed the families of the
hundreds of thousands effected in the automobile industry. The emotional
crusade against the automobile which you here are conducting, incited by those of
the Greens and the Left, is especially irresponsible in a modern, industrial
society.
Katharina Dröge
(Greens): You are talking nonsense!
Timon Gremmels
(SPD): You are irresponsible for a modern, industrial society!
Bureaucrats and lawyers in Berlin and Brussels, with the
definition of a emissions-free vehicle as you find it in the EU regulation, are
generally hindering the ability of engineers to find unbiased, technical
solutions. Because bureaucracy and politics hinder these solutions, Herr
Ozdemir, is precisely why the auto industry today must decide what to do.
You of the FDP – it certainly amazes me that at one time you
wanted to be for synthetic fuels or at least said so here –
Michael Theurer (FDP): For ten years, we’ve
been for synthetic fuels. You lie! You lie shamelessly!
– have in committee rejected our motion on synthetic fuels, just
like all the other parties here. Since you have rejected it, what you are doing
here is hypocrisy.
Timon Gremmels
(SPD): You know about hypocrisy!
In reality, all of that does not interest you. You are only
attempting to make a good impression upon the public. You have rejected our
motion on synthetic fuels and more competition so as to fulfill this
regulation. That is a fact. That anyone can look up in the protocol.
Michael Theurer (FDP): We were for
synthetic fuels. You can’t deny it!
And know it will come again in plenary session. And if you are now
for it –
Oliver Luksic
(FDP): Here speaks the Pinocchio politician!
– then you can vote yes for this motion. We will move for a vote.
Timon Gremmels
(SPD): Great!
Yes, exactly.
Jens Zimmermann
(SPD): Tell that to your people, those who are still there!
The people of this country will be able to see who among you
sitting here in the blue seats are responsible for the loss of their jobs. I
hope that the people will then recall that at the next election.
Michael Theurer (FDP):
We do not need the AfD to come to the point.
We stand for the automobile and for the German automobile
industry. You all have forsaken these jobs.
Many thanks.
[Translated by Todd Martin]
